I watched him climb up from the bed to the top of the unstable wardrobe and tap across the ceiling. I cursed under my breath and continued searching the walls for a hidden latch.
“Have you tried pushing them?” Preston asked, shoving his head under the bed.
“What do you think I’ve been doing the past ten minutes?” I bit out, tapping the stone harder each time.
A loud crash echoed behind me, and I twisted around to see the broken remains of the wardrobe scattering over the floor. My back hit the door, my eyes fixed on the gripping claws of the bats as they climbed free of the remains.
“Brilliant,” I breathed, the air burning my throat.
Preston lifted the mattress and tore one of the slats out of the bed’s frame. “Find the door!”
Screeching erupted, high-pitched and horrible as it echoed off the walls.
I charged at the door, pounding it with my fist in an attempt to pry it open, but it didn’t budge. However old it was, it was still too firm for me to move it with my kicks and curses.
“We’re not even sure there’s another door!” I raised my voice over the bats’ screeching.
Preston was too focused on keeping the bats at bay to answer. My eyes blurred with inking darkness, and then, like ananswer to my prayers, behind him, something glinted. A key was hanging on the wall where moments ago the wardrobe stood.
I lunged for it, ducking claws and wings, and rammed it into the locked door. Nothing. I pulled back, grinding my teeth. What was I missing?
Another screech. My heartbeat skipped.
“Anything?” Preston shouted, his voice fraying.
I lifted my gaze at him, as he moved the plank around, trying to keep the bats from charging at us. And that’s when I saw it. A small keyhole was edged into the wall just beside where the key hung before.
I ran to it. A bat sliced my cheek as I passed Preston, but I didn’t stop. I pushed the key into the hole, and it turned smoothly. The wall cracked open.
“Davenport!” I called, my voice barely cutting through the cacophony.
He twisted toward me and I gestured for him to hurry. Another bat charged at me and I hid my face in the crook of my arm, lifting my knife as a weak try to protect myself. A loud thump resonated through the walls and the chattering muffled. I peeked out cautiously to see Preston drop the plank beside the few defeated bats, and follow me into the hole. I almost fell onto the stairway with relief, while he closed the newly found door behind us.
I rested my back against the cool wall, letting the silence consume us once again. My cheek was burning where the bat had flown against me, but the pain was still dull, probably from the adrenaline. My body felt like it was running a fever. Preston’s cheeks were flushed, his blonde hair a nest as his shoulders shook with silent laughter.
“You’re such a knob,” I muttered, which only made him laugh harder.
A slow smile curled on my lips as well, and I was unable to stop it. Relief rushed through me like warm silk, tickling my skin. I blew out a long breath, and pried his eyes open. His expression turned serious in a blink.
“What?” I asked, not knowing what happened.
He reached into his pocket, and pulled out the handkerchief he used earlier. “For your cheek.”
Oh. I forgot about that. “Thanks.” I took the tissue and wiped it over the sore spot, wincing. “Does it look nasty?” I asked.
“Depends on the scale of things.” Preston tilted his head. “You certainly look better than that sheep did.” The corner of his mouth tugged upward. “But I would reconsider that date with Declan Marzouq.”
I grimaced at the unwanted reminder. “It’s not a date,” I muttered, mounting the stairs leading up in the narrow corridor.
Preston didn’t answer. The damp steps thumped under our boots and my thoughts slowly wavered back to the one word the ghost said.
Here.
Could that boy we saw be the Great Monster? Was the woman right to be worried about her sheep, and the ghost about the passages?
“Do you know who that boy was?” I asked, trailing the stone with my fingertips. It was calming how it sucked the heat from my body.
Preston took a moment to answer. “Never seen him before,” he mumbled, and I hummed.
