Chapter 8
When my stomach was so full that I felt like it might burst, I finally left the kitchens. Baylen had offered to walk me to my rooms or to call for Fran, but I waved him off wanting to explore on my own.
I retraced my steps back to the main entrance, keeping in mind where the kitchen was before I approached the large double doors once more. A quick glance around told me no one was nearby. Still, a sense of unease filled me as I wrapped my fingers around the handle of the door.
It wouldn’t even twist to unlock.
Wiggling the handle for good measure, I let out a hard breath as I dropped back from the door.
This was going to be harder than I thought.
If Blackthorn was the only one who could open it, where did the food come from?
They had to have deliveries of some kind.
Certainly they didn’t come through the front door every time?
Moving away from the doors, I walked back to the split hallway, choosing to go in the direction that Blackthorn had earlier. If I ran into him, all the better, maybe I could plead my case again and he’d actually be reasonable.
I huffed.
Doubtful.
My plan was simple. I’d taken note of where things were in the kitchen and decided to come back later when everyone would be sleep, after I found something to use as a bag in the closet in my room. Then I would make my escape.
However, I couldn’t go anywhere if I didn’t find a way out of this castle.
The hallways seemed to be endless with lots of doors that led to nowhere interesting. Some held sitting rooms, others studies. The only one that looked remotely fun was the ballroom which had a heavy layer of dust covering every inch of it. It was obvious they hadn’t used that room in a long time.
I almost left the neglected room before I caught sight of several glass doors that had to lead outside. I raced across the dusty floor, leaving footprints and kicking up dust on my way. Grabbing both handles in either hand, hope filled my chest as I turned.
Only for it to come crashing down when the doors wouldn’t budge.
Moving through the ballroom, I tried every door, every window. Anything that might lead me outside. Nothing. Everything was locked tight.
Had Blackthorn used some kind of magic to bind this place?
I wouldn’t put it past him. There were several witches in the area, and it wasn’t like they weren’t known for taking payment for spells.
Once I was back in the hallway, I kept going until I found a set of stairs leading upward. Curious if these went back to where my rooms were, I followed them up and up until I realized too late that they were going far higher in the castle than where Fran had taken me.
When the stairs finally stopped, I stepped into an open room. Sheets covered the furniture, a fine layer of dust across the floor except for where it looked like someone had walked across the room to stand before a picture hanging on the wall.
I followed the path of the previous person until I stood before the painting. In the frame sat a picture of a woman. She was about my age with brown hair and big brown eyes. Except she was far more beautiful than I could ever be. The artist had captured the image of a goddess in paint form.
Who was this woman? Certainly someone cared about her. Could she be why Blackthorn has locked up his castle?
I had so many more questions than answers at the moment, and it was beginning to drive me a bit crazy. I needed to do something productive. Something that would put me one step closer to leaving this place.
Turning from the painting, I jolted in place.
Blackthorn stood in the doorway of the room, his eyes watching me sullenly.
Feeling like a mouse cornered by a predator, I rushed to explain. “I was just trying to find my room and though the stairs went to it. I didn’t mean to intrude. I’m sorry. I’ll just... go.”
Except Blackthorn still blocked the only exit. I stopped before his tall form, waiting for him to move so I could leave. When he didn’t so much as flinch, I lifted my eyes to his face. Blackthorn wasn’t looking at me, his eyes were over my head, toward the painting on the wall.
Did he know her? Was she his wife?
“Uh... Blackthorn.” I shifted in place unsure if he wasn’t even really here anymore. “I can’t get by.”
His dark gaze slowly moved from the painting down to my face where it lingered for a long minute before he finally opened his mouth to speak. “Please refrain from coming up here again. This room is off limits.”
“Yes, of course.” Swallowing the intensity in his gaze made me squirm. “I apologize.”
Blackthorn didn’t move out of the way for me to pass, but he did turn to lead the way down the stairs. “I will escort you back to your room.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” I hurried to tell him, chasing down the steps after his long legs. “I can find my own way.”
Blackthorn didn’t answer. He simply kept walking until we made it to the bottom of the steps.
He then turned back down the corridor toward the main entrance.
His silence was unsettling and made it hard to find the right time to ask him to let me leave.
However, the tugging in my stomach told me I had no choice.
“Blackthorn,” I began, swallowing down my fear.
“I understand what you’re trying to do for me.
You’re paying me back for saving you, but this isn’t the way.
I’m not stuck in some pit about to die. I made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin, I can’t back out of it.
And he’ll see this as me trying to run away, not as being kidnapped.
” When Blackthorn didn’t answer, I moved to pleading. “I’ll be punished for it.”
The vampire snorted. “He’d have to find you first.”
I grabbed his arm, stopping him as I swung around to look at him. “But he will. Our contracts are magical. It doesn’t matter where in the world I go, Rumple will find me.”
Blackthorn’s eyes narrowed, his lips pressed into a tight line. “Then I will kill him. No one will take you away from me.” He brushed past me, but I caught him adding on something under his breath.
“Not again.”
We walked in silence until we reached the door to my bedroom. Blackthorn turned to me. His hand lifted up as if to touch my face before he dropped it, his eyes closing briefly. “I’ll let Fran know that you have returned.”
Then without another word, Blackthorn swept back down the hallway, leaving me on my own.
I stared after him, a strange feeling in my stomach before entering my bedroom. Thankfully, Fran wasn’t there, but I didn’t know how quickly Blackthorn would find her. So, I headed toward the closet and searched through the drawers and cabinets.
Finally, at the very bottom of the closet shoved behind some dresses, I found a large silk-lined bag.
It was a bit elaborate for what I planned to do, but it would do. The bedroom door opened, and Fran’s voice called my name.
“I’m in here.”
Quickly, I rolled the bag up and shoved it back into the closet. Fran appeared in the closet doorway, confusion pulling her lips tight.
“Did you want to change clothes, mistress?” Her lips curled up into a smile. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist the lovely dresses we had prepared for you. Come, let’s get you all made up for dinner. I haven’t had a chance to make anyone up in a long time.”
I had planned on telling her no, but her last comment made me pause. Fran had probably been here just as long as the others. The thought made me sad.
“Actually, yes, I do want to change into...” I grabbed the blue dress she’d tried to dress me in this morning. “This one. Would you help me?”
Fran beamed with excitement.
I might not be here for very long, but if I could bring them a bit of joy, then I would do it. After all, I didn’t have to stay in the dress forever.
Tonight would come soon enough.