Page 54 of How Does It Feel?

Interesting creature, this girl. Assassin or not, she was very intriguing. Disgusting and deserving of only death, but intriguing nonetheless.

Chapter 16

The Air of Freedom

Callie

“We need to get to the roof,” Walter murmured almost to himself as he pulled me behind him.

He was fast, and I was having a hard time staying on my feet behind him. A few times, I had tried to move to his side but was quickly shoved behind the protective wall of his back. I needed to ditch him, but the more hallways and empty rooms we ventured through, the more I worried about getting caught. We had already experienced a few close calls with servants wandering about the halls dressed in finery. The black suits they all wore reminded me of something between renaissance and modern formal wear.

It seemed counterproductive to be going to the roof, but I trusted he knew where was best to go. He continued to keep me hidden behind him. Though whether that was for my sake or his, I couldn’t say.

Up yet another winding flight of stairs. This set seemed to climb forever, tucked into an intricate corner of a humungous room. I paused to take in the startling luxury of the large room.

White fur rugs covered the vast space between us and the large door. The ceilings had to be twenty feet high with beautiful slate-colored walls. Intricate crown molding lined the ceiling and various other nooks in the room. Several black crystal chandeliers hung in the center of the room. I could see another of the large sparkling crystal lights hanging outside the door. I gasped when I realized it was a bedroom. Against the far back wall rested a huge black canopy bed with a fluffy and prim-looking black and gray bedspread tucked neatly in.

Oh god. We were in someone’s room.

My heart pounded so hard I could have passed out.

“Walter! This is someone’s room! We need to get out!” I whisper-shouted.

The panic somehow seemed to grow. The anticipation of getting caught was seemingly more frightening than if I had actually been caught. Like a bad game of hide-and-seek, but if we were found, we would die.

“I know the owner, they aren’t in it right now. He’s helping a human escape,” he whispered back to my gaping face as he glanced in all directions.

Holy shit. This was his room.

“If we can get through that hallway, there is a room just past the ballroom where we can access the roof.” He grabbed my hand again, ready to pull me to the door.

I stopped him and pulled my hand free. I couldn’t let him go any farther, I just couldn’t. I didn’t want his life held in my hands, and I didn’t know how much I trusted him now after seeing his opulent bedroom. Why would he help me if he was this close to them?

“Tell me what to do after I reach the roof. You can’t go with me any farther,” I stated, not leaving room for discussion as we stared into each other’s frightened eyes.

“I will show you. There is a portal on the roof. I don’t know much about it, but I know that it will at least get us out of here, and no. I’m not leaving you. I need to know why my wolf is drawn to you, but also because my allegiance lies with the Unseelie crown, and I will not let you harm him should you actually be an assassin. I will die to protect him, so I will be your escort until you are gone from here.”

My feet pawed at the soft carpet. The trail of dirt I’m certain I left would be enough to give away our location if I didn’t get my filthy body off the soft white rugs.

I would lose him once I knew where the portal was, and he would return to the castle safely.

Walter pulled at me, but I took the lead and stepped into the hallway. My feet found the marble floor of the hall, and the cold they had felt in the dungeon returned. The hallway was large, still dark in color but brighter in lighting. I didn’t have to squint and could see everything clearly. Instead of a door on the right of the hallway, large archways led to a black-and-white checkered floor. I ended up standing in the wide entrance of one of the entryways to the ballroom.

The ballroom filled with dancing people.

They all gasped and mumbled at the sight of me.

I was too stunned to move.

Hundreds of pristinely attired Fae stood in the expanse, watching me. My stomach fell through my feet, and the blood ran from my face. There was no escaping—they all saw me. There was no questioning I was a prisoner from my filthy attire, and there was no mistaking that I was human. Even the few that seemed to resemble a human vibrated that they were a different, more beautiful species. Wings, fangs, and claws snagged my attention like sprinkles of death throughout the crowd. Hate and destruction clouded the air immediately. Every single one of them had the look of a predator. Even the small friendly-looking ones held an air of mischief when their eyes caught me. If looks could kill, I would have disintegrated on the spot.

“Oh shit,” murmured Walter, sliding in behind me as he looked out to the crowd of Fae guests that watched us.

“It seems our first course has been delivered early.”

The voice stopped the flow of blood in my veins. It was like terror had its own music, and she was the composer.

The crowd of predators parted, letting through the rhapsodist.