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I looked over next to the hearth and the large wooden bookcases lining the walls on either side of it. The tapping continued. I walked over to the hearth carefully, even going so far as to peer into the stone recess. Nothing. I walked past the bookshelves and over to a full-length mirror on the adjacent wall. The tapping grew louder.
And then I gasped. The mirror was opening very slowly, inch by inch, revealing a gaping dark space behind it and... a boy.
The boy grinned up at me cockily from where he sat on a ledge behind the mirrored door.
“Hello there.”
“Hello,” I replied.
“Care to explore the palace?” The boy could not have been more than twelve. His eyes sparkled with mischief. His skin was smooth and sun-kissed with a warmth reminiscent of golden spices, while his shiny jet-black hair had been cropped unevenly as if he had been trying to escape the haircut while it was being given.
The boy’s messy hair reminded me immediately of Kaye and my heart gave a painful little lurch.
“I thought I wasn’t allowed out.”
The boy snickered. “Do you like following the rules? I don’t.”
“Not really,” I admitted. “Especially not this one.”
The boy’s face broke into a playful smile, revealing a row of pearly white teeth.
“Then let’s go,” he suggested. He reached out a hand and I willingly took it, climbing up onto the ledge and peering past him with interest.
“What is this place?” I inquired.
The boy shrugged. “A tunnel. They’re all over the palace. But hardly any are used. And no one dares to use these ones, because...” He grinned at me. “No one would risk Prince Kairos’s wrath.”
“No one but you?” I pointed out. I refused to think of just how wrathful Draven would be if I snuck out through this mirror.
Well, it would serve him right. Perhaps when he returned he would finally realize that he could not keep me locked up like some princess in a story. Funnily enough I could not remember reading about famous mistresses locked up in a story. At least, none that had happy endings.
“Pull it closed behind you,” the boy said, pointing to the latch.
I did as instructed as the boy snapped his fingers and lights bloomed along the walls revealing a narrow passage that increased in height a few meters down. Good. I would be able to stand up.
I crawled behind the boy until I could safely stand, then looked about me. “How did you do that?”
I pointed to the lights that glowed from small sconces along the walls.
“What? This?” The boy grinned and snapped his fingers again and we were thrown into darkness.
“Very funny.”
A snapping of fingers and the lights returned.
“It’s magic,” the boy said, with a wink.
“Yes, I figured as much but what sort? And do all Siabra have it?”
“Oh, I’m not Siabra.” The boy lifted his hair from over his ears and pointed at rounded ears as he walked down the passage. “I’m human.”
I stared. “How... is that possible?”
“Ever since the curse, the humans here have sometimes been born with magic.”
“The curse?”
“Something to do with the Siabra. They can’t have kids, you know.”
