AISLIN | I

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

FOOTSTEPS ECHOED against the stone walls as Kingsley and I hurried down the corridor. If I remember correctly, the entrance to the catacombs should still be intact. They had just locked the door when the rooms caved in on themselves. It was just a matter of remembering where the original entrance was.

The hallway grew progressively darker as we walked deeper into the belly of the castle. Signs of disuse were popping up all around us. The cobwebs on the lampstands grew thicker and a blanket of dust was forming on the floor. A faint set of small footprints became apparent as the dust coating the flagstones grew thicker. I tapped Kingsley's forearm lightly to bring her attention to the trail in front of us. This passageway had been used recently.

I mentally patted myself on the back for bringing a lantern with us at the last minute. I held it in front of me and in the dim illumination I could make out the blurred outline of a door. It took hold of my attention with great power. The last I knew, the door had been locked and boarded up. Now there was no trace of the crossbars, which was odd. I tested the latch. The heavy door creaked open when I pulled on the ring. Why wasn't it locked? I looked over to Kingsley. She must have seen the confusion in my expression because her hand moved to her sword.

I pulled the door open the rest of the way and rested my hand on the hilt of my sword. The curved stone stairway was very narrow. Kingsley followed closely on my heels as I started down, keeping an eye on our backs. The air settled stagnant and humid around us and smelled of mildew.

As we rounded a curve, a faint light glowed from the chamber below. I felt my heart quicken as adrenaline flowed through my veins. Nobody was supposed to be able to get in here. What was going on?

I made my way down the remaining stairs as silently as I could. Facing the far wall, a young woman was crouched over something, a lantern illuminating the wall in front of her. I caught Kingsley's eye over my shoulder and she nodded in understanding. She snuck around me and advanced on the figure as silent as the night. In one swift movement, she drew her sword, grabbed the woman by the shoulder, spun her around, and rested the blade against her neck.

"Who are you and how did you get down here?" She demanded.

Terror flooded the young woman's deep black eyes, her long black hair falling around her shoulders. Her lips trembled in fear and she was struggling to stay upright. Her eyes widened as I drew closer with my lantern, illuminating Kingsley's sharp features. My attention was caught by a metallic glint in the dim light. She had been crouching over a metal basin filled with water, a dirty rag floating in the liquid.

"She asked you a question. I suggest you answer it." I rumbled.

"I... I... I was just trying to find someplace out of the way." She stuttered as she shook like a leaf. "I was just trying to clean up sir. It's not exactly something I want to publicize so I was trying to find someplace out of the way. I didn't think anyone came here, sir." She rambled and then held her breath.

"You mean to tell me that you've been down here before?" I questioned.

"'Down here' sir?" she asked. "There's an up, sir?"

My attention was stolen by the clamor of stones falling. I instinctively pulled Kingsley towards me and covered her head. The clamoring ceased a moment later and Kingsley pulled herself away from me. I looked around me trying to locate the source of the rockfall. The chamber we were in was completely unchanged as far as I could tell, but I noticed a cloud of dust coming from an archway I hadn't noticed before.

I picked up my lantern and made my way over to the entryway. I discovered one of the collapsed passageways. Something had disturbed the passageway and a new volley of rocks had fallen into the empty space.