Night Witch (Book 1) ✔️

14 - The Castle in the Valley

It's late in the afternoon when we finally reach our destination, a pair of golden gates half way up the Engerdale mountains. We'd long left paved roads behind, instead driving on streets of grey stone which were maintained by a thin layer of magic. I stopped by the small intercom in front of the gates and pressed the call button.

"Hello, Verfain estate. Please state your business," A cool female voice greeted me.

"I'm Cassie Sullivan. My sister and I are here to stay with Mrs. Verfain."

An email with no sender had appeared on my computer last night with the details of our new home. Apparently Mr. Verfain was away on business and his wife didn't like to be on the estate alone so she often rented out her guest house.

"Hello, Ms. Sullivan. Please place your hand on the scanner and state your name." As the voice spoke, a thin panel slid out of the bottom of the speaker. I peered at the runes painted along the edge of the device and my eyebrows rose.

A truth spell had been linked to the thin panel. I would bet my life savings that its partner was inside the grand house whose spire we could see peeking above the treeline some distance away. I lay my hand carefully on the pad and repeat my name.

"Very good, ma'am. Please follow the road up to the main house. Mrs. Verfain will meet you at the main entrance." The box shuts off with a click, the panel retreating.

The ornate gates swing soundlessly inward. As I drive through, I note more runes embossed along the top of the gate that I hadn't been close enough to see earlier. The gate, while likely made of gold which is  a notoriously soft metal, had been spelled to be as unbreakable as titanium. It was a fancy and difficult bit of spellwork to get an element to disobey its natural properties.

Kit sits forward in her seat and peers out the front window, looking up to try and catch any view of the house. The large and seemingly ancient trees blocked our view. I let my senses widen and note the forest is only thirty feet wide along either side of the road and acts as the perfect wall to stop people sneaking off to nose around the estate.

The paving stones here are limestone, and much lighter in color than the main roads. And unlike the main road, there is a secondary layer of magic laid beneath that which kept wear and tear from aging the stone. From what I can tell with a casual brush, it's to alert security if someone stops their car or steps out. The Verfain's clearly take their security seriously.

The suspense suddenly made sense as we reach the top of a slight hill and the trees fade out into a set of magnificent gardens. In the little valley below the small rise a castle out of a fairy tale spreads directly before us - complete with climbing ivy, turrets, and a circular driveway up to the main entrance. We pass a small road labeled with "Staff Only" which peels off the main drive. 

Kit is gawking, but the opulence only makes me grimace. I stop the car in front of the large, wooden front door and a short woman in tall, spindly heels elegantly takes the three steps down to meet us from where she was waiting. She wears a form fitting cream designer dress that stops an inch or two from being vulgar. I quickly swing myself out of the car and intercept her before she can wave over the butler to open Kit's door.

"Mrs. Sullivan, a pleasure to meet you in person." Her hand rises gracefully in the air, her wrist encased in a delicate strand of pearls.

I smile and shake it lightly, applying just enough pressure that she knows my hand is there before retreating.

"Thank you so much for having us, Mrs. Verfain. I'm not married so you may call me Ms. Sullivan. Let me have the pleasure of introducing my younger sister, Kit." I hold out my arm and Kit uncertainly walks up so I can sling my arm over her shoulder.