Chapter 34

S now awoke to pain throughout her body. Her head hung between her shoulders, her chin on her chest. Her arms were in an awkward position, wrapped around something hard and unforgiving. She twisted her hands and felt the chaff of rough rope against her wrists. Then she realized then she was tied to a chair.

Without lifting her head, she tuned in her senses to her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was the empty sheath at her waist. She opened her eyes and saw stone flooring under her feet. There was silence around her except for the flicker of what sounded like candleflame. A warm glow shimmering across the floor and she suspected there were candelabras in the room.

She had no doubt she was in the castle in the Mystic Vale. The castle that was once her family home. The castle from which her father ruled the kingdom.

The castle that was hers by birthright.

She wanted to lift her head to see if Roderick was nearby, but she didn't want to alert Seraphina that she was finally conscious. Reaching out her senses, she listened to the sounds of the room and heard the soft breathing of someone else.

Tentatively, she lifted her head. Across from her, Roderick was also tied to a chair. His chin was on his chest. He wasn't awake yet. She tested her elemental senses to see if there was something—anything—she could use against Seraphina. She sensed no plants in her vicinity. Likely by design. Seraphina would know she had elemental power due to her previous display.

But Roderick's elemental magic was more powerful than hers.

"Roderick?" she whispered, her voice low and rough as she tried to wake him.

He didn't move.

She tried scooting her chair closer. The sound of the wood legs scraping along the stone was deafening in the silence. He stirred a bit, his head jerking to one side.

"Wake up," she said, this time louder in the hopes he heard her.

She pushed the chair forward once more. The noise exploded around them. This time, his head snapped up. He looked groggy, as though he just woke up from a long nap. He glanced around, confusion in his eyes as he tried to get his bearings. Then his gaze landed on her. His brows drew together in question.

"Where are we?"

"The Mystic Vale castle," she said.

"Are you certain?"

"It's the only place Seraphina would bring us."

Though she wasn't certain, it made sense Seraphina would bring her back to her childhood home to hand her the final death blow. Why not kill her here, where her parents also perished? Where Seraphina took control and could enact her final revenge.

She got a good look at the room they were in. It was devoid of all furniture save for the chairs in which they were tied. There were large candelabras in each corner to give the room a warm glow. A wood door behind Roderick with iron hinges was the only exit.

"I'm sorry, Snow," he said, sounding dejected.

"For what?"

"For getting captured," he said.

"That's not your fault," she said.

She watched as he twisted his arms behind him, his face contorted in pain. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get out of these ropes," he said.

"It's no use. The knots are too tight."

He grunted. "Still…trying." He sucked in a sharp breath, wincing in pain.

"Stubborn man," she scoffed.

"Yes, until I take my last breath."

Something about the way he said i made her chuckle long enough for him to pause and peer at her. "What's so funny?"

"That you freely admit you're stubborn. Have you been your entire life?"

"Just so." He gave a nod, a grin, and then went back to trying to free his wrists from the bonds. "I…almost have it."

He grunted, winced, and then he was free. He dropped the rope at his feet, but the damage was done. His wrists were red and raw and bleeding. He was out the chair and doing his best to untie her.

"Your wrists need a healer," she said.

"That's the least of our worries at the moment," he said. "We need to get out of here."

She felt the knot loosen and then she was free. "Not yet. Not until I destroy the Magic Mirror."

He walked around the chair and paused, peering at the door with the iron hinges. He walked to the door and gave it a tug, but it remained in place.

"It would stand to reason she wouldn't want us out of this room," Snow said.

She saw the contemplative look on his face and knew he was trying to figure a way out of the room.

"If you destroy the mirror," he said, slowly, "then she loses her power?"

"That's what the dark wizard told me," Snow said.

He took a deep breath, nodded. "Then let's find a way out of here."

But it was no use. The door was too strong to break through. Snow dropped to her knees and placed her hands on the stone flooring, reaching out with her senses. But there was nothing under the stone to help her. No bits of dirt or anything.

"There's nothing in here that can help," she said.

"Maybe not for your magic."

The way he said it made her pause and watch as he stood in front of the door. He placed his hand on circular door pull which she suspected was iron. He closed his eyes, no doubt tapping into his own elemental magic. Recalling that he was an Artificer, he had the power to harness more than just nature. She watched in rapt fascination.

The door pull began to glow. A pale yellow at first and then brighter and brighter until it was a molten red orange. She gasped as he tugged. The door clicked open with ease. He flashed her a triumphant grin.

"Is your hand not burned?" she asked.

He looked down at his hand, his fingers were slick with sweat and blood but appeared to be otherwise unscathed. "No."

She moved to stand beside him, taking his hand in hers and turning it over, running her fingers over his skin and marveling at how smooth and unburned it was.

"Incredible," she breathed.

"Now, let's find that mirror."

He stepped into the corridor and paused, looking left and right. He signaled all clear and then waved her to follow him. They paused outside the door, her heart ramming hard in her chest.

"Which way?" Roderick asked.

"I'm not sure where we are," she admitted. "The last time I was here, I was a child. My memories are not as clear of the castle as they once were."

Indeed, they had faded over time when she gave up hope of ever returning. Now, she stood in the very castle she was born in looking for a mirror with the ability to wield dark magic. Where would Seraphina keep that? No doubt someplace hidden and safe. Her bedchamber?

Yes, of course, that made sense. Her bedchamber, which used to be shared with her father. The residence bedchambers were in the north tower overlooking the lawn. Hers was down the hall from her parent's. She remembered that clearly, but how to get there?

Roderick waited patiently by her side while she chewed on her lower lip and tried to figure out which way to go. She was paralyzed by indecision. He must have sensed that for he gripped her by the shoulders, turning her to face him.

"Hey," he said and gave her a reassuring grin. "Don't second guess yourself. Listen to your gut."

She took a deep breath, nodded. "I think we should go this way."

She motioned down the hallway behind him. He took her by the hand and led her down the hall.

"My dagger is missing," she said.

"Mine, too. I'm sure Seraphina is happy to have both weapons at her disposal." His tone was laced with annoyance and agitation.

He didn't mention they were both enchanted blades. He didn't have to. One had been created for the sole purpose of cutting out her heart. She was aware the queen had obtained their greatest weapons.

Or had she? She and Roderick both had elemental magic. Perhaps there was a way to leverage it, though she wasn't sure how. Yet.

The corridor ended with only one way to go—right—so they followed that down to the next turn to the left. None of this seemed familiar to her and she wasn't sure where they were in the castle. It appeared to be a maze of twists and turns. There were no doors in the hallways. Only torches in brackets every few feet.

"Anything familiar?" he asked.

"Not yet," she said.

"It'll come to you." He sounded so certain she wanted to believe him.

Another turn and they found themselves in the great hall. A long wooden table that seated twenty was in the middle, chairs on either side. The enormous hearth on one end was dormant. Nothing but gray ashes.

Once there were tapestries along the walls and portraits high above in the gallery. All of that was gone now. Seraphina had them removed at some point. Her family history was removed, as though she had tried to erase them.

"You ok?" he asked.

She pointed toward the gallery. "There were family portraits there. Oil paintings of my parents and grandparents."

He looked upward to the area devoid of decoration. Then he gave her a sympathetic glance. "Perhaps she didn't destroy them."

It was almost as though he heard her thoughts. She shoved that away to deal with later.

"I think she'd hide the mirror in her bedchamber," she said. "Follow me."

Releasing his hand, she took off through the great hall, heading for the doorway. On the other side was a curved stone staircase leading upward to the north tower. As she hurried through the castle, a sense of foreboding filling her, she wondered where the servants and guards were. Surely, Seraphina would not leave the halls and corridors unguarded?

She would if she were planning a trap.

Snow's heart thundered in her chest as she exited the great hall. She paused only for a moment at the foot of the stone staircase, then, taking a deep breath, she ascended. Her legs burned with agony as she hurried up the narrow steps trying to keep her footfalls as quiet as possible. Roderick was right behind her, keeping close.

At the top of the stairs, with her chest heaving and her heart pounding, she paused a moment to catch her breath. Roderick moved to stand next to her, waiting for her to make her next move. He didn't question her or ask if she knew where she was going. He merely waited. She gave him a glance.

There was something in his eyes that told her he trusted her. That he believed in her. That he wanted her to succeed. And something else. Regret? Sorrow? She didn't know.

"It's this way," she pointed to the left.

As she started to go, he grasped her by the hand and pulled her to a stop. "Snow, there's something I need to tell you."

She turned back to him. "What is it?"

"When the queen summoned me here and demanded I kill you, she tricked me into drinking a slow-acting poison."

Snow gasped. "Poison?"

"If I failed to do her bidding—"

"You mean kill me," she interjected.

He nodded. "I would fall into an eternal slumber. She called it a sleeping curse."

"How can this curse be broken?" she demanded.

He shook his head. "I don't know. I only know I had a fortnight before it would take hold. Snow…" He took her hands in his, holding them tight and looking deep into her eyes. "Since we left Lighthill, I've been feeling strange. As though something is not right with me. I think it's the poison trying to take hold."

"Then we need to find a way to break this curse. We need the antidote."

"Only the queen has it," he said. "It's not likely she's willing to give it up." His mouth quirked a grin.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" she wanted to know.

"Because I thought I'd have more time. We'd have more time. That we'd be able to destroy the queen and you would have your throne," he said.

"In a fortnight?" She almost laughed, but managed to hold it in.

"It was a hope and a dream and perhaps a wish." He squeezed her hands. "So, if something happens to me, promise me you'll go on. You'll fight her."

Her suddenly mouth went bone dry. Her stomach clenched with a distinctive fear. " You promised me you would be by my side the entire way."

He nodded before she finished. "I did and I'm sorry I didn't tell you then."

"I can't do this alone." Her breath hitched, a sob threatening to erupt. "I can't do this without you."

Something in his expression softened at those words. He cupped her face, then, gently tipping her head back. "You can. You will. I believe in you."

A breath shuddered out between her lips as he held her there, looking intently into her eyes. A sensuous light passed between them. His lips parted slightly and she understood then what he meant to do. She melted against him, wanting nothing more than his lips on hers, to feel his kiss, to know what it was like to taste him.

She wasn't exactly sure when her feelings had switched from anger with him to something more intimate. But shift it had. He had become a part of her that she was desperate to keep by her side. He'd traveled with her, told her story to the villagers in Westfall. Had he made mistakes? Yes, of course. Had she? Yes.

"Roderick?"

"Yes?"

"Are you going to kiss me?"

He tipped his head to one side, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Yes, I believe I am."

"Then get on with it."

He chuckled, a rumble deep in his chest. One hand brushed through her hair, cupping the nape of her neck, bending her back at just the right angle. Her eyes fluttered closed in sweet anticipation.

But before his lips met hers, there was a deep, malevolent laugh echoing through the hall.

"Aren't the two of you simply adorable?"

Seraphina's voice made them jump apart. Roderick pulled her close, then pushed her behind him as though protecting her from the queen.

"Just simply adorable . Alas, you both have to die. But not before I have a little fun with you."

A grin crinkled the corners of her eyes as she lifted her arms.