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Spiral staircase, spiral staircase, I chant to myself until the elevator rattles to a stop.
Ambyrlynn and Ginny peer through the gate, with the rest of our little coven behind them.
I pull the door open and step to the side. “Your transportation awaits.”
They shuffle inside, making the small lift bounce, and I resist the urge to leap off to the safety of the hall.
What is the weight limit on this thing, anyway? And when were the cables last replaced? Or is this thing so old that it runs on ropes? Did elevators ever use ropes? I’m pretty sure I remember something like that in a book I read.
I close the gate and press the button to go back down and think light thoughts until we reach the bottom.
My passengers disembark, and I take a deep breath before riding to the top one more time. At the first floor, I don’t find Mel and Aspen waiting, so I open the gate, grateful for a small reprieve from the horror box.
As I step off, the lantern on the floor flickers off before turning back on.
When did we last replace the batteries in that? Do we have replacement batteries? The remote for the TV needed new batteries, and Tris said he used the last ones in the drawer, but the lantern probably takes different batteries.
I make a mental note to ask Haut about it when he gets home later, realize I won’t remember, and pull out my phone to text him before I forget.
As I hit send, Mel and Aspen arrive, looking like a match made in beige. While I expect it from Aspen, I scowl at seeing yet another flowing skirt and peasant blouse on Mel. If I thought the floaty outfits made her happy, I wouldn’t care, but I’ve seen her true self, and this mask is stifling.
Why does she care so much about what Aspen thinks of her? It’s not like her moms don’t know she rocks ripped T-shirts and checker-board pants. Would he not take her seriously as a teacher if she jingled with chains?
“Aww, turn that frown upside down,” Mel teases as they stop in front of me, and she adjusts the heavy bag over her arm. “We can handle a few classes in the dungeon.”
That’s not why I’m frowning, but it doesn’t improve my mood.
“Dungeon?” Aspen glances between us, adjusting the box he carries. “Am I missing something? Melody said we would be holding class in your family’s inner sanctum. I’m quite interested to see how the Rathaven coven found harmony with their magic. It’s rare to be invited into the heart of a witch’s practitioner space.”
I stare at him for a second as I imagine how disappointed he’s going to be. Based on everyone else’s reactions to seeing the inner sanctum, what I have downstairs isn’t normal for witches.
I shake my head and motion toward the elevator. “After you.”
Aspen eyes the narrow elevator and the lantern on the floor as he steps inside. “Is this up to code?”
“Where’s your sense of adventure?” Mel hops on, making the thing bounce.
Aspen’s face pales as he looks around and realizes there’s nothing to hang on to.
“Don’t worry, if the cable breaks, it’s only a one floor drop.” I hold my breath as I step into the lift and close the gate before hitting the button.
The elevator shakes, then jerks as it begins its descent, and just as the top of the door drops below the floor, the lantern flickers before going out.
This time it doesn’t come back on.
I squeeze my eyes shut. “Just think of this as a lead-up to the great reveal.”
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out. Light from the screen floods the elevator, and Haut’s response fills the screen.
Haut: They’re in the second drawer of the kitchen island.
“Too little, too late, bad wolf.” I hit the power button on the side, casting us back into darkness.
Light creeps in from the floor, growing brighter as we reach the basement, and I don’t even wait for the lift to stop before I pull open the gate and slide out the bottom.
“Way to make us feel safe, Rowe!” Mel yells after me.
“I never promised a safe arrival!” Shuddering, I do a full body wiggle to cast off the evil.
