Page 62 of Only Flames Remain

I scurried after him once more, ascending the stairs so quickly I was out of breath by the time I reached the landing. A second flight of curving stairs hewn from pale stone and a long portrait-lined corridor brought us toward the bottom of the south tower. We took the spiral staircase up, up, up, my chest heaving with breath as I tried to keep up.

From below, the towers and spires had appeared narrow. In truth, they were quite spacious. I had expected them to be cramped. Despite how it appeared from below, it could easily house two to three grand rooms per level.

We came to a stop outside a heavy wooden door outfitted with a metallic, red rose painted against the worn oak. Sorin nodded for me to enter, his hands folded at his back. I pressed the worn brass handle, and the door swung inward with a squeak, as if it hadn’t been opened in many years.

The bedroom beyond was both jaw-dropping and overwhelming at the same time.

The curve of the tower housed a series of arched windows that gazed out at the Saltale Sea beyond. A bed was nestled to the left of the spacious chamber. The dark oak posters of the bed were adorned with a grand canopy of velvet, mulberry drapery. The bed was dressed in crisp, white linen sheets. A fire roared in the fireplace across from the bed, a sitting area adjacent with both an armchair and a settee.

To my right was a grand washroom outfitted with a large claw-foot tub and ivory marble floors. A champagne-colored chandelier hung above the tub, candles lit and scattered across the room.

As if the castle had been expecting us.

The entire room was curved and elegant. There were no straight lines, only smooth, round edges.

I turned to Sorin in confusion. “Forgive me, Prince. I am a bit…surprised. Is it not improper? Am I not…your…human servant? These rooms are far too grand.”

Sorin’s returning gaze was knowing. “You are a guest in Stormgaard. I do not expect you to wait upon me while we are here.”

My head cocked to the side, my confusion deepening. “Then why am I here?”

“To escape the burgeoning rumors in Gothryn, as I said last night. You will be safer here until the news of your arrival has subsided and the townspeople have moved onto a new topic of conversation.” His voice was matter-of-fact.

“But who will take care of your rooms?” I asked, fantasizing about soaking in that claw-foot tub with the decadent salts from the shelf beside it.

Sorin laughed. “I have an entire private staff here in Stormgaard. They live here year-round. They will tend to matters of housekeeping, and to anything you might need during your stay here.”

So…not alone after all.

He nodded toward the wardrobe against the far wall, to the right of the graceful arched windows. “You will find everything you need in there, though please do not hesitate to ask if there is something else that you require.”

I was both fascinated, and utterly flummoxed. I wasn’t going to turn down a gift such as this, so I kept my mouth sealed firmly shut. I sauntered toward the giant bed and dropped my bag against the stone floor. Everything about this room was steeped in luxury.

“What am I…supposed to do?” I asked.

I thought I was here as his indenture, but that apparently wasn’t the case.

“Whatever you wish.” He shrugged. “There is no part of Stormgaard that is off limits to you, though I doubt the staff would take kindly to you rooting through their private quarters. You’ll find a library on the first floor, to the right of the main hall. I do expect you to join me for dinner each night during your stay. You are welcome to grab what you need from the kitchens to eat or snack on during the day. Voirel would enjoy company as well. I am sure you won’t be able to escape her for long. Your time together made quite the impression on her. She is fond of you.”

I was being treated more like a princess than an indenture, and that had my senses on high alert. I smiled, nodding thankfully as I drank in the decadence of the room.

“You’ll find my chambers just across the hall, beyond the staircase.” He nodded toward the open doorway. I could see the door he referenced beyond; a flaming metallic sword painted into the oak. “Dinner will be at eight thirty sharp.”

He moved toward the door, tucking his wings against himself to allow him to pass through.

“Your Highness?”

He turned back, his eyes sparking with humor. “Please, call me Sorin.”

“Sorin.” I swallowed hard, unsure of how I felt about all of this. It reminded me too much of Kallias. “Thank you.”

Surprise flitted across his face, but he nodded. “It is my pleasure.”

He closed the door behind him. I could hear his footsteps retreating against the stone as he disappeared down the spiral staircase. I turned back toward the room, a deep inhale finally filling my lungs and releasing. A laugh bubbled to my lips, and I raised my hand to cover it in disbelief, though there was no one here to hear it.

I might have been sent here on an awful mission, but I was going to enjoy whatever bounty it afforded me while I could. I couldn’t wait to strip down and soak my body in the ginormous tub. But first—I needed to unpack my bag.

I grasped the strap of the satchel and brought it from the floor onto the bed. I quickly drew the zipper open, anxious to see what Enora had slipped inside.