[wattys 2018 shortlisted]
Humans see her as a dangerous threat -a witch that must be executed. With the uncontrollable ability to form ice at her fingertips, Ravenna is forced into hiding amongst the humans, stealing to survive. That is, until she h...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THE INSIDE OF THE castle appeared just as weathered and decrepit as the outside. A double staircase stood opposite of the entrance, with wide steps comprised of jagged, broken stones. The walls around them stretched high above their heads, filled with sun-stained tapestries and the mounted heads of creatures Ravenna had never seen before. Some of the heads were almost human-like, with coal colored glass eyes and lips parted around an endless scream. A shiver whispered through her spine and she moved closer to Vyses.
"This is the main hall," Tylat announced. "This is where I have chosen to display all of my trophies and accomplishments. Please, do not touch anything."
Ravenna glanced up at Vyses, her lips pressed into a firm line. Vyses sported a small frown, his gaze focused on the array of heads that surrounded them. "You have quite an assortment of...trophies," Vyses remarked.
"Indeed," Tylat answered. He coughed quietly into his hand and then continued forward, toward the staircase. They followed him to the second level. He started down a narrow hallway, filled with closed, wooden doors. A slender rug stretched from one end to the other, tattered and colored a dusty red. Torches illuminated the stone walls.
Tylat waved a glowing hand. Two doors swung open, revealing two bedrooms. "These shall be your rooms," Tylat announced. "The wardrobes inside should be filled with clean clothes. You may change into something more comfortable and then join me for dinner. The dining hall will be downstairs. It won't be hard to spot."
"Thank you for your hospitality," Vyses said. "We greatly appreciate it."
Tylat surveyed them with a blank expression. "I must also ask that you refrain from wandering these halls," he told them. His voice sent chills racing through Ravenna's spine. "Not everything hidden within these walls is dead. If you do ignore my wishes, I cannot promise that you will escape with your lives."
Ravenna's mouth dropped open. She turned toward Vyses, her eyes wide. He ignored her, his gaze focused intently on Tylat. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?" he asked.
"Exactly as it sounds," Tylat responded. "Dinner will be in an hour. I will leave you to get prepared."
Before anything more could be said, Tylat snapped his fingers. Ravenna watched, almost awestruck, as the short man's entire body started to fade from existence.
The moment Tylat had vanished completely, her jaw clenched tight. She folded her arms across her chest and turned to face Vyses. "This isn't a good idea," she whispered to him. "We shouldn't stay here."
Vyses shook his head. "We don't have a choice," he whispered back. His hands reached out to grab hers, squeezing tightly. She noticed his gaze stray, focused on the walls around them. "It will be alright, lass. I promise. It is just one night. Let's just get ready for dinner and get this over with."
Ravenna closed her eyes and sucked in a sharp breath. "Alright," she muttered. "We aren't finished talking about this, though," she added.
He didn't respond. She turned toward one of the open doors and stepped into the bedroom that waited behind it. It reminded her vaguely of her bedroom back at Caelan's house.
