Good luck.
Ava slipped into the hall, closing the door with a soft click.
Jareth appeared out of nowhere. “Quickly. We don’t have much time until shift change.”
She hurried through the dark hallways after him. They twisted and turned through the moonlit corridors, their footsteps silent. There were no guards along the way, Jareth taking an unfamiliar route to avoid them.
If someone had told her months ago she’d be sneaking around the astral castle in the middle of the night with Casimir’s arrogant and cruel brother, she would have laughed in their face. Then again, if someone had told her she was a lost princess fated to save an unknown realm, she would have urged them to seek help for delusions.
But here she was, barely keeping up with Jareth as they prepared to likely break in somewhere forbidden.
Jareth pressed himself against the wall beside a large wooden door, Ava following his lead.
“This leads upstairs to my father’s private office. No one is allowed in there. Ever. If we get caught, you’ll be the one blamed. And I will not protect you from my father’s wrath.”
“Fine.”
“In a few moments, the guards will leave this door. We’ll need to slip in before their replacements show up. Be swift and silent.”
“Shouldn’t their replacements already be here waiting?”
“This shift is always running late. It’s why I chose it. Now be quiet.”
Seconds later the door opened. Ava froze, holding her breath. Two guards emerged, disappearing down the hallway in the opposite direction.
Jareth moved. Ava followed, and slipped through the door.Before them was a winding stone staircase, ascending into a round tower.
“We must make it to the office before the new guards enter. We only have a few seconds.”
Jareth bolted up the stairs, Ava trying to keep pace. Glowing orbs of starlight hovered near the ceiling, illuminating white stone walls. By the time they reached the landing, Ava’s heart felt like it would burst out of her chest. Not from the strain of rushing up the stairs, but from the reality of what they were doing.
“Luna, I thought you should know we’re breaking into Orion’s office.”
That sounds dangerous.
“It probably is.”
Contact me if anything goes wrong.
“Unlock it. Hurry,” Jareth whispered, gesturing toward the door.
“Me?”
“With your vines. Come on. Now.”
Right. Like Quinn had done. Ava extended her hand, growing a light green vine in her palm that she lengthened and slipped beneath the door. She closed her eyes to focus, making it climb the other side and wrap around the handle. She molded the tip into a sharp point and felt around for the lock.
“Hurry.”
“Shut up. I’m trying to concentrate. I’ve never done this before.”
Footsteps echoed from below, the guards making their way to the landing. She pushed the vine deeper and the door opened without a sound. They slipped through and closed it, both breathing sighs of relief.
“Now what?” she whispered.
“We search.”
“For?”
