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"Nothing solid"

"So what now?"

"First, I’ll restore my aunt’s wards," I said "But after that…Well, three people are dead, I’m the o next" I flashed her a tight save ht punch, smiled "For once, you have your priorities in order"

Chapter 13

I made my way down the broad corridor, the stone floor sh tall, broad s covered with griaps I could see clear blue sky and distanttapestries that had probably once been vibrant and colorful, filled with dynamic scenes Now most were in tatters, and those few that remained were too faded and stained to ure Afor a flower A reyza perched on a stone Lanterns hung between the tapestries, heavy iron things ells at the bottom that had probably held oil at one time But now they were cold and dark, smeared with soot

The hem of my dress brushed the stone with a soft susurration, and I slowed, not wanting to h there was no one nearby I knew that No one in the entire structure

Frowning, I looked down at what I earing A dark blue gown, intricately embroidered in silver thread with a pattern that I had trouble focusing on Some sort of ivy perhaps Or birds Or birds in ivy

I took a deep breath, then let it out slowly I could feel the rush of air through s, taste the dust of the place, feel the warmth of my expelled breath on

I’d been here before in dreams--once, no, twice on the roof with Rhyzkahl, and other tih they’d never been as vivid, as real as this I didn’t knohat exactly this place was--a keep, or fortress…so like that, nor did I have any idea where it was

Only this ti That’s a first

Maybe I’d been thinking of Rhyzkahl as I fell asleep? Had I unwittingly called hi the various revelations of the day, it would be understandable Yet if that was the case, where was the deht? Frowning, I lightly scraped h to draw blood, but enough to scratch the skin and send a light twinge of pain through htened my chest Maybe I’ve been summoned… ? But surely I’d be aware of that It’s just a dreas frouishable froly familiar?

The silence seeh to shout, Hello, or anything like that Even though I felt a deep certainty that I was the only living creature in this keep, and that I wasn’t really here, I’d seen enough horrorabout both

The corridor ended abruptly, opening into a vast hall lit only by dust-filled spears of sunlight coh on the walls Surprised, I stood in the entrance to the corridor and took in the sight Heavy tables and benches of dark wood filled the center of the hall A higher table, that could easily seat forty, ran along a wall opposite an archway Two chairs at the center of the table were intricately carved with scroll work and patterns I couldn’t quite hter wood beneath the varnish--deep gouges that had to have been made by an ax or a seriously heavy sword I tasted s h the archway on the right were the kitchens, and the entrance to the left led to a corridor that would take reat doors of the keep And the stairs in front of h hter and song Meat and wine Fighting and blood

Then it was gone, leaving only the echoes of shrieks and raucous calls skittering throughslowly If this was a dream, it had to be one sent by Rhyzkahl, since he had a link toout?

Screw horror movies "Rhyzkahl?" I called out Goosebu it around in scattered echoes Gulping, I heldfor the de He wantedabout this sending being from him Either way, I had no idea what I was supposed to do or hoake myself up

Fine I had some sort of inexplicable shadow , II sturabbed the down the stairs at the stroke of ht--if Cinderella had been in a weird abandoned castle-thing, sent here by a deht of stone stairs--or rather I ran about halfway up, then had to slon and catch my breath Great, even in my dreao I think

The stairs tookthe floor and walls, but at the end of the hallere a set of double doors, where whispers of light seeped froain, seized the handles and pulled The doors were giant, heavy things of ly, but once I had the open wide

"Holy shit," I breathed

I thought at first that the room was round, then I realized it had about twenty sides--facets of polished grey stone that should have reflected e back at me but didn’t Every other wall held a lit lantern, which looht

It was a suram similar to the one I used had been precisely etched into the darker grey stone of the floor, though it was easily twice as large as mine, and it had certain differences that I couldn’t quiteabout the rooram--or rather what remained of it On a broad circular base nearly three feet across was a statue carved out of a black stone with flecks within of soranite I assuh it was difficult to be certain, since it stopped at the waist Long skirts swirled around her bare feet, and a hand clutched the fabric, broken off above the elbow<ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>