The Lost Link by Michelle Bryan

Author:Michelle Bryan [Bryan, Michelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harris Publishing
Published: 2020-03-22T16:00:00+00:00

14

The first thought I had as Shay led me through the drafty hallways of my prison? It wasn’t much of a castle. I figured the prince and queen would live in opulence. Why else would you desire total domination and power over worlds if you didn’t want all the perks and bonuses that went along with it?

The narrow stone walls and floor were bare of any adornments. No fancy tapestries of long dead relatives or bulky pieces of furniture that looked more like torture equipment than sitting chairs. None of that. The hallways seemed more like passageways, really. Like they had simply been cut out of a mountain. The only human touch was the gaslight scones attached to the walls, creating a pattern of flickering lights that only added to the spookiness of the stone alleys. Not even the patches of sunlight oozing through the narrow windows dotting one side of the hallway could penetrate the gloom and chill of the air.

I stopped following my guide long enough to stop at one of the windows and look out. I expected to see a courtyard with people in chains and tons of soldiers everywhere. The images in my head were based on the old medieval movies I’d seen. But I was surprised to find none of that. Instead, what I found on the other side of the glass was a bustling village surrounded by a high stone wall. Wooden and tin buildings lined the inner wall, separated by narrow dirt paths. People milled about, gathered in the streets and in front of buildings, interspersed by the odd goat or dog running around. Some wore armor but most were dressed like Shay, in work-worn clothes. It didn’t look any different than Athena’s village. Children scattered about, their laughter dulled by the glass separating us, but it rang in the air all the same. Where were all the downtrodden servants for the evil royal family? Come to think of it, I didn’t even see anyone else in the castle. Other than Shay and the young girl who’d brought me the clothes earlier, the place seemed to be deserted. Where were all the guards Starke had warned me about? Did he lie? And if not, then the Ryhills must be the poorest royal family in history.

“Shay, where is everyone?”

She stopped and looked back at me, gesturing with impatience. “Who’s everyone?”

“The prince’s guards. His servants. Other than you and the girl, this place appears empty.”

I swore she threw me shade.

“The prince has no servants. He has no interest in indentured help.”

“No servants?” I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice. “Then who runs this castle?”

“Castle?” Shay crossed her arms and laughed. “You think this is a castle? The prince hasn’t lived in his family home in years. This isn’t a castle. It’s a monastery.”

“What do you mean, he hasn’t lived in his family home for years?” I questioned, but Shay was apparently done talking. She turned on her heel and led me down another dark hallway, straight toward a heavy oak door at the end.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.