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Castor rested in his chambers alone for the next two nights, hardly catching a glimpse of Ianora throughout the castle. He knew well enough that she couldn't leave, and likely that she wouldn't attempt to, but he had his eyes within the palace keep her under watch regardless.
He needed to know what she was up to, what she was planning. He needed to find ways to make her his again. While he hadn't thought that mentioning the past would be a major misstep after the night they'd shared together. It seemed that he had severely miscalculated the wounds she still carried in that regard.
Still, as he lounged atop the silken sheets of his bed, he couldn't think of exactly why. He was missing too many pieces of information, and he knew he wasn't going to uncover the truth by laying in bed, thinking.
So, he rose to his feet, put on fresh robes, the deep black and crimson silk he liked, buckled on his belt, and fitted his golden, thorny crown onto his head. The servants would blanch at the thought of him dressing himself, but since Ianora had come around, Castor's routine had changed.
At the door, he placed a hand on the handle, and he immediately knew something was wrong.
The door was freezing to the touch, and when he stepped out into the corridor, he realized that the temperature had dropped significantly throughout the castle. It was as if winter had come early, and frost coated the walls and iced over the vines closest to his door. The stone floor had turned white and mirror-like, and the crimson roses hovering outside his door were shivering on their vines, making sounds like chattering frozen petals. Was some dark magic at work? Inhiscastle? Or worse ... had the curse advanced farther?
Castor approached the rose nearest to his door. "What's happened? Why is there ice everywhere?"
The rose shivered, and Castor could have sworn it looked almost like the thing was ... trying to speak to him. "I ... I don't know, my lord. I heard Queen Ianora say something about a 'dark witch' being responsible for all this, but I didn't think much of it then."
Castor's heart sunk into his stomach. A dark witch? That meant there was definitely foul play afoot. And if Ianora knew about it...why hadn't she come to him?
"Did she say anything else?"
"N-no, my lord," the rose said. Its petals fluttered in the frigid air. "But I think you ought to speak with her at once."
Castor didn't need any more convincing. He continued along the hall, noticing that the farther he traveled from his chambers, the warmer the temperature became. By the time he reached the rooms reserved for Ianora's use, everything was back to normal, as though, he'd imagined the whole thing.
He hesitated before knocking on the door. A moment later, the door swung open, and Ianora's flustered face came into view. Her pale grey eyes lit up when she saw him. "Hello, husband. What brings you to my door this afternoon?"
"Is it that late already?" Castor frowned, noticing that Ianora sounded weird. "I was wondering if you'd seen anything ... strange lately. In the castle, I mean."
"Strange?" Ianora cocked her head to the side, a perplexed look on her face. "No, nothing out of the ordinary. Why do you ask?"
"It's just ... The temperature dropped significantly throughout the castle, and it appears that winter has come early. There is enough ice outside my chambers that the roses are shivering. They're quite upset. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that?"
Ianora's eyes widened. "Ice? In the castle? That's so odd. I wonder if the curse is growing to reflect your cold, wicked heart."
He scowled at her, knowing then that shedidhave something to do with the strange fluctuations. "Ianora ... what are you up to?"
"Nothing, my love, nothing at all." She smiled sweetly. "I haven't left my chambers since last night."
"Is that so? Because the servants told me that you mentioned something about a 'dark witch' being responsible for all this. Do you know anything more about that?"
Ianora hesitated before answering. "I did hear something about a dark witch, but I didn't think it was anything to worry about. I'm sure it's just a rumor."
"Are you suggesting that one of the witches in my company would cause any trouble within the castle? They are all loyal to be by blood oath."
She shrugged. "Not all of them, hmm?"
He braced a hand against the wall. It was clear to him that Ianora must have some game plan here, hinting at knowing the witch who had escaped Castor's grasp years ago. Esmeralda was one of the most powerful witches he'd ever met, and she had been under his control for many, many years. Until she escaped, he sensed, back then, that she hadn't approved of his plans to burn the world if that was what it took to bring Ianora back to him.
In the end, perhaps it had worked out that she escaped. Because of her disappearance, Castor's plans had been delayed, and because of those delays, he'd been more patient about finalizing a deal with King Kel, Ianora's father. Without that, it was possible that he would not have Ianora in his possession by now.
But did this mean that Ianora knew the witch? Where she’d gone?
Was sheworkingwith her against him?
His nails dug into the stone, leaving deep gouges when he finally lifted his hands. "Very well then, I'll have someone look into the matter and see that it's dealt with accordingly." He paused, thinking that he should leave, but he couldn't help himself from being drawn to her to try and stay in her presence for as long as possible. "About the other morning, Ianora ... I want you to know that—"
She held up a hand to stop him. "It's fine, dear. You made it very clear that you have no idea how to think or imagine beyond your self-absorbed machinations. Perhaps I was the fool to believe you could be capable of empathy."
Castor opened and closed his mouth. "That's not it at all. I realize now that something must have happened to you, for you to leave so suddenly those years ago. I was blind not to see it sooner. I admit I messed up. I admit I failed you. If it's not too late, I hope one day you can forgive me and confide in me what you could not all those years ago."
