Chapter 9
Itried to nap when Calanthe left to return to her duties, but a solid stone floor did not an appealing bed make.
Within minutes, I was up and pacing again.
I didn’t have the motivation to train anymore, so I just wandered around the chamber, testing the walls of each arch, waiting for Kier or divine intervention.
It wasn’t like I wanted to leave the cavern that kept me free of Cleodora’s manipulation, but fuck I was bored.
I might have read the book Kier left if it had been a juicy mystery or a steamy romance, but it was about engineering.
My dear husband was perfect in every other way; of course he’d have a fault somewhere.
I hadn’t thought book selection would be it, but that was just my luck.
Before I submitted to learning about the specific axels involved in making a carriage run, I wanted give the alcoves one last chance to provide a distraction. Calanthe came through a different one to Kier which meant they all opened, but could any open from inside the room?
“One of them must,” I muttered, pushing on an immovable wall, and giving up with a grunt of effort. “Otherwise, people would have been trapped and died down here for hundreds of years. I’d have skeletal roommates.”
Hell, that might liven the place up a bit. Add a touch of character to the décor.
My sweep of the chamber brought me to the alcove Calanthe entered through, and just the thought of her carving time out of her insane schedule to bring me pasta and catch me up on the castle gossip warmed my heart.
I pressed my palms to the stone, not expecting much, and laughed when the back wall moved, the bright sound of my voice rippling around the chamber.
“Just a little peek,” I reasoned, rushing back to grab the bag Kier left, where I’d shoved all the items Calanthe gave me, too.
It wasn’t much, but I deluded myself into feeling prepared for any eventuality with a bag of food and underwear resting on my hip.
“I won’t go far. I’ll be back in minutes. ”
With those false promises echoing around the alcove, I pressed the door wider and slipped through.