Chapter Five
Analleia
The deafening explosion of fireworks rattled my rib cage, the rainbow of colors bursting in the sky above illuminating the world in light.
They shot off in an endless cycle, welcoming the attendees and marking the beginning of the Seven Royal Balls of Paravellia.
Excitement hammered in my chest along with fear of what lay ahead.
The palace loomed within walking distance of the inn, but tradition required us to arrive by carriage.
I hung out the window, craning my head back to gaze up at the massive towers and turrets.
Spindles twisted into the sky, reaching for the heavens.
The stone infrastructure beckoned like a portal into another world, bidding us closer.
The glow of the fireworks created a magical effect, the banners and decorations promising the best night of our lives.
I remembered well the enchantment of the Paravellian Balls, the grandeur of it all.
Being here on these grounds, with so many memories reawakening within me, split my heart open with a strange sense of longing.
Our carriage slowed to a stop before the limestone steps that led into the palace. The head guard requested the invitations from our driver, and I held my breath.
What if we had made it this far only to fail now?
Even though I knew my disguised face was proof the Enchantress’s magic worked, the sinking feeling it would wear off or she would go back on her word weighed me down.
I watched the guard inspect our three invitations before handing them back to the driver.
A sigh of relief slipped from me. A footman opened our carriage door and helped me and Nadiyah down, Desmond following close behind.
Fireflies danced around the landscape like fairies, creating their own light show for the crowd’s entertainment.
The entrance to the palace loomed before me, but smaller than I remembered.
Five years ago this palace had seemed larger than life, but for all its grandeur, the promises of the Paravellian Balls had wilted into lies.
My gaze drifted to a turret in the east wing, light spilling from its windows.
An icy chill ran through my veins as I envisioned how the body had fallen from the tower, plummeting to its death.
No goodbyes. No hope. Just empty air to welcome them into death’s waiting arms. My hands trembled as the grief tried to slip past my defenses and through the cracks of my soul. Tried to overwhelm me.
Five years ago.
Nadiyah’s hand squeezed my arm, drawing my attention back to the front doors. “Are you ready for this?”
I looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “Are you?”
She had joined us not only because of our friendship and her relationship with Desmond, but to end her own vendetta with her family’s murderer. She had once been an heiress and the daughter of a just nobleman. Now she was a Dark Walker.
She dipped her head in confirmation.
I counted in my head, trying to calm my breathing and restore my racing heart as I climbed the next step. And then the next. Each foothold felt like one pace closer to victory.