Beyond the Four Kingdoms Box Set 2: Three Fairytale Retellings (Four Kingdoms and Beyond Box Sets Book 4) by Melanie Cellier

Author:Melanie Cellier [Cellier, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Luminant Publications
Published: 2020-08-01T22:00:00+00:00

Part III

The Promise

Chapter 20

The meager moonlight that filtered in wasn’t sufficient for any sort of search. Gabe went looking through the mess for an unbroken lantern while I examined the display cabinet where he had found the bottle.

It looked to be in slightly better condition than most of the other furniture in the room, and I could see why it had drawn Gabe’s attention. Unfortunately it was now empty. If Leander had any more enchanted objects, he didn’t store them inside it. My eyes were drawn irresistibly toward the smoke door.

“Adelaide,” Gabe called softly, and I turned toward him.

He had located a lantern at what appeared to be the main desk, although both its surface and the chair beside it were littered with a variety of objects, rendering them unfit for regular use. The lantern’s glow lit up the room, but Gabe hadn’t moved, instead bending over something at the desk. I hurried over to join him.

A small desk drawer had been pulled most of the way out, hanging haphazardly. Whatever it had divulged now held Gabe’s full attention as he bent over it on the desk. Apparently in his search for a tinderbox to light the candle, Gabe had discovered something of greater interest.

I peered over his shoulder at a small, leather-bound book, its blank pages full of scribbled notes. It looked like a journal, although small sketches and diagrams broke up the words.

“Is that Leander’s journal?” I asked. “Does it say anything about my enchantments?”

“I’ve only read a couple of pages, but—” Gabe broke off, his eyes fixing on the locked door.

I froze as well, straining to hear. Were those footsteps? Gabe moved fast, scooping the book off the desk and thrusting it inside his jacket. With one hand, he lifted the lantern, while the other swept around my shoulders herding me back, away from the door.

For a moment I thought he was trying to push me toward the ominous smoke, and my body instinctively resisted. But instead of approaching the door, Gabe swept aside a long tapestry which hung on the wall beside it. As soon as he touched it, I could see why it had attracted his attention. It undulated in the breezes of the room in an unnatural way and, sure enough, when he pulled it aside, it revealed a hidden alcove.

We nearly tripped over each other both rushing into the small depression. Only when I was almost shoved up against it, did I notice that the space held a simple wooden door. I fumbled with the handle, expecting to find it locked, but a simple latch was all that held it closed.

A key scraped against the lock of the main door as I ripped open the one in front of me and threw myself through. Gabe followed behind, so close he was stepping on my heels, before pulling the door closed behind us as silently as he could.

The door—and tapestry in front of it—might hide the light of our lantern, but it didn’t filter out all sound.

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