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Stepping back, I lowered my chin and let my gaze slide up and down my body.
I definitely looked healthier than I had before Laith and I solidified our mate bond. His magic had undoubtedly bought me a few extra months. That alone was enough to make me grateful that I’d followed my gut and had sex with the man.
Then again, the sex alone was enough to make me grateful as well.
I went through the drawers in the bathroom until I found a brush, and after I did, tugged it through my hair. The strands were smoother and softer, and felt stronger too.
That was the power of magic working through a fae’s body, I supposed.
When my hair was brushed, I headed out into the castle. I wanted to give myself a tour of the place I was currently calling home, and discover where Laith’s dungeon was. If there were any fae inside it, they would promptly be let out, and the king and I would be having very angry words.
No one deserved a life in chains.
There was a new bounce in my step as I padded out of the room, my arms swaying at my sides. I felt a bit naked without my sweater, but in a good way. Who didn’t enjoy a little nudity, right?
I found the kitchen first; it was massive, and beautiful. Like his bedroom, Laith certainly took good care of the space he cooked in. Everything was clean and smelled fresh; there was even a vase full of some type of aromatic plants in the center of the large table he probably prepared food on. They weren’t flowers, but they smelled nice and made the room feel happier.
I let my fingers run over the countertops as I made my way to the windows, and then pressed my palm to the glass as I peered outside. There were trees around us, but not as many as there had been surrounding my inn.
Though I wanted to go out and see the forest, to try to figure out where in the court we were, I knew the dungeon needed to come first.
So, I ignored the dust-coated staircase that led up to the second floor, and headed down the ones descending further into the castle. They were coated with just as much dust as the ones going up; I left thick footprints on every stair, and had to hold my dress up so the bottom wouldn’t get nasty.
The dust was either a good omen or a bad one, I admitted to myself as I continued downward.
When I reached the bottom, I was engulfed in darkness.
But the darkness was soft, warm, and seductive. It felt like silk against my skin, and I let my eyes close as I breathed it in. The thick, dark magic seemed to be keeping the dust out of the air, something I certainly appreciated.
Opening my eyes, I tapped into my own dark magic. It was weak and responded sluggishly, but my eyes adjusted as it wrapped around me, and I gazed down both hallways.
There were bars on both sides, with small cells stretching along the entirety of the space, and my chest ached at the sight of them.
Please, let them be empty.
“Is anyone down here?” I called out into the darkness.
There was no response, other than the echo that followed my voice.
“Hello?” I called one last time.
When I was once again met with silence, I gripped my dress tighter in my hands, thickened the dark magic around me, and stepped down the hall.
My whole body clenched as I stopped in front of the first cell.
Most of me expected to see a skeleton, or a cold, dead body surrounded by a puddle of dried blood.
My shoulders relaxed slightly when I found only more dust.
The urge to step inside and sweep away the dust, to make sure nothing was hidden, was a strong one. But the fear of having a door lock behind me, of being trapped again, was stronger.
So I continued down the hall.
Each cell was the same; empty, besides dust.
And with each empty cell I passed, the desire to check and make sure there wasn’t a skeleton hiding beneath the dust grew stronger as well.
When I finally reached the end of the second hallway, I bit my lip and carefully wrapped my fingers around one of the bars. I gave a gentle tug, but the thing didn’t budge.
