Beyond the Water's Edge by Janine Eaby

Author:Janine Eaby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Teen and YA, Epic Fantasy, coming of age, Portal Fantasy, Adventure, Dragons, Forced Proximity, Romance, Magic, Betrayal, Action, Christian Fiction, Isekai
Publisher: Janine Eaby
Published: 2024-11-28T00:00:00+00:00

XXIX

Riddles in the Dark

A small wooden footbridge straddled a brook cutting through the pitch. The bridge creaked and groaned underfoot but held sturdy under their combined weight. As they approached, they passed close to a wheel spinning in the swift current.

The brook flowed steadily, refracting light off its surface on its trek that shifted gently downhill past the house, but the house itself seemed dim and uninhabited. An exotic forest dotted the background at the edge of the grounds, and it whetted her curiosity, but she followed Enver as he made his way to the sprawling house before them.

Along the edges of the grounds, statuesque trees cast large areas of the property in shade, leaving a wide swath of clover and moss to serve as the lawn. A burst of color marked the gardens—asymmetrical flower beds surrounding an off-centered gazebo, hemmed in by neat rows of hedges. She looked on from afar as they approached the house.

They ascended the steps past round, fluted columns to a handsome porch that wrapped around the front and side of the house. Enver knocked quietly on the front door, stepping back to wait, but no one came to answer. He shrugged and pushed the door open, but Alaira was less sure. She draggled by the threshold as he entered. She peered inside before following, leery of the silent house, and inspecting the space as Enver led the way.

The first room to greet them was a high-ceilinged foyer with a vibrant area rug extending within a foot of the beige, floral-print-papered walls. Several Bergère chairs upholstered in red with gold leaves lined the edges of the room. At the far end of the foyer, to the left and right, two dark-stained, wooden arches carved entryways to the adjoining rooms. A grand staircase arose on the far side of the foyer, centered between the arches.

Seemingly forsaking the rest of the rooms on ground level, Enver proceeded to the second floor with Alaira in tow, running her hand along the dark wooden banister and casting backward glances.

“What if they come home?” she whispered.

Enver shook his head. “I don’t think anyone’s been home in a while.” He didn’t bother to whisper, causing her to keep her head on a swivel in case he was wrong.

They came to a long, dimly lit hallway with natural light issuing through a few of the doors that were left open. If no one was home, she reasoned that it wouldn’t hurt to have a look around. Alaira picked the first door on the right at random, though the space within was too dark to see what sort of room she had chosen. She shuffled cautiously inside, checking to make sure Enver was following.

While still a short distance into her exploration, the door behind them swung shut on its hinges. The clicking of the latch made her swivel back to the way she had come, but everything was dark, and she could no longer see the door except for a paper-thin line of faint light outlining the bottom.

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