12
ARIAH
Around the perimeter of the Beetlerum Estate grow enormous elm trees that I run to and hide behind, as I draw closer to the right wing.
I stop when two guards near one of several fountains emerge and start chatting yards away. Gossiping about two people named Saffria and Issa, who conned a poor bloke out of hundreds of moinlings. I don’t know if their actions were justified, but staying to hear the full story is not prudent, and I take advantage of their distraction and quietly continue through the trees.
Making my way towards the back of the estate, I vaguely make out a terrace with a large, vine infested wooden arbor. Underneath the arbor is a door, and above are several windows.
Good! I have multiple points of entry.
The windows on each level are dark, increasing my chances of the rooms being vacant.
The two guards are still standing yards away as they continue to chat with each other.
My mother had said there were three in total. I don’t see the other one and hope they are by the other wing of the house.
Quickly, I cross the yard of the estate and head straight for the arbor. Drawing my ring sword, I prepare to use it to help get the door open, but to my surprise, it’s already unlocked.
I suppose, given how rich the Beetlerums are, they live assured that no one is foolish enough to steal from them. I am either a fool about to fall into a trap or about to teach them a lesson to always lockup.
Slipping inside, I’m greeted with more darkness and a set of stairs.
Perfect. Up is where I need to go and this all feels a little too good to be true.
The first step creaks under my weight as I make my ascent. I pause until I feel comfortable enough and then take another step.
To enhance my stealth I move on to my tippy toes. I’m not sure if it’s actually helping, but I feel more relaxed, so I keep it up until I have ascended the first flight of stairs.
At the base of the second floor, I gaze out and see a lifeless and nearly lightless hall. The carpet runner crawls with a white light halfway down the corridor and then fades into absolute darkness.
Although, afraid someone will pop out of the dark, I continue up the stairs and make my way to the third floor which is identical to the second.
A musty scent wafts through the air, clinging with dust and the absence of life. Not necessarily the smell of death, but the lack of bodies that stay on this level and perhaps the limited cleaning attention it receives. It is a perfect place to hide valuable things.
I begin with the first door in the hall. Of course, my mother could tell me how many guards, cooks, and servants there are,but not what room these documents are in. Another test, I assume. If she knows about the papers, she certainly knows what room they are kept in. Better yet, she could have nicked them herself. But this is my last lesson, not that there have been many in the past week; but this is a chance to prove to her that I can handle this.
The first room has a small archway I pass under before reaching the door. My hand goes back and forth, contemplating if I should rush in or knock.
Why the hell would I knock? Just go in, Ariah.
I end up having a full-blown conversation with myself before I decide knocking is a dumb idea and summon the courage to open the door.
Gradually, the door swings back and, like the hall, there isn’t much light inside the room.
Straight ahead is a window, and the little light that creeps in reveals a hope chest set near the foot of the bed.
Immediately, I shut the door and move on to the next. This time I don’t argue with myself, and I open the door. The next room is like the first. There is a bed, but instead of a hope chest, there is a tiny rocking horse, along with a rocking chair near the window.
All I find are bedrooms, with the exception of one painting room, but it still isn’t the office my mother is referring to. Of course, she could have helped me more by providing the exact location of the room instead of being ominous about it, but it’s useless to stress, I already have enough nerves coursing through me.
As I’m about to enter the seventh room on this floor, I hear footsteps traveling up the stairs, and I catch the faintest glimpse of candle light flickering against the wall before I tuck into the archway.
“Remember this is a secret for Morren.” It’s Luna’s voice, and I tuck farther into the wall between the door and hall. The last thing I need is for her to find me. “Just set it in the room and he’ll find it in the morning.”
We haven’t spoken since her wedding. I would have thought she would be traveling by now, enjoying time with her new husband, but maybe the plans changed. The thought of him reminds me just how much his words bothered me at the wedding. I wonder if he told Luna of my not-so-little threat if he misbehaves. I would tell her about the incident myself, but I don’t want to taint their relationship, if there is even one at all.
Three bodies walk past me and I sink farther back into the shadows.
