hill, toward the Council Hall. “Owen and I have a theory, and I was thinking . . .”
I stopped paying attention to Martin and focused instead on Julia, who peered over her shoulder, as if checking to see if she was being followed. When she blurred around the corner, headed for the rear of the Hall as I’d seen her do months ago, I wondered what she could possibly be doing that required her to sneak in through the back door. Nothing good, I was sure. Not with that kind of treacherous behavior.
Out of the corner of my eye, I peered at Tristan and Martin. Their heads were close together, deep in discussion. Martin had told Solomon to keep a careful watch on Julia, but he wasn’t watching at the moment when she was obviously up to something. I could have read Julia’s mind, but I saw the opportunity and flashed to the rear of the Hall instead.
Just as I appeared, two backs stood in the doorway—Julia’s and another: Ophelia’s. The old witch held a copper flask in one hand and perhaps something else in front of her that I couldn’t see. Julia’s hand pressed against Ophelia’s shoulder, pushing her downward until they were both lost to the gloom inside. What are they doing? Was Ophelia delivering something to Julia? Did the flask hold more blood? Was Martin’s not enough for the gluttonous vampire? I wondered whose blood it was. Perhaps Ophelia’s, adding more magic to Julia’s system. Or . . . perhaps Rina’s. Solomon could be wrong. Julia could be gaining enough power. I had to find out.
I inhaled a deep breath while reconsidering my suspicions and blew it out slowly. Then following my instinct, which hadn’t changed, I stepped through the open door onto a narrow landing at the top of a steep flight of stone stairs. Below was darkness and strange noises, as well as Julia, Ophelia, and another mind signature. I suppressed a gasp.
This mind signature surprised me. It somewhat reminded me of Dorian’s—intense and animated—but not quite the same. It had a sharper edge to it. Yet, still childlike. A soft moaning floated up the stairs, the sound of a girl’s whimper.
I froze. My pulse pounded loudly in my ears. Could it be? I hesitated. Although I was Amadis Royalty, there were still boundaries I couldn’t cross yet, and I was sure this was one of them. Especially if . . . Exactly why I need to see for myself! The girl’s voice came louder, more of a wail. I hurried down the steps.
A corridor stretched out before me, most of it dark and dank with a coordinating musty odor, doors spaced evenly apart along each wall. A triangle of light lit the end of the hall, an open door allowing it to shine through. I took a single step, then stopped, once again debating whether to proceed or to enter Ophelia or Julia’s mind first to see what—
Whoosh! Air rushed past me. A bar of steel pressed against my stomach and a board against my back. My body flew up the stairs. Literally. My feet didn’t touch the ground. Then I stumbled as I was dropped into the brightness outside.
“You can’t be down there!” Julia seethed at me, her voice more screechy than I expected. I couldn’t, at the moment anyway, ever remember hearing her speak aloud. I cursed myself for letting her catch me off guard.
“Why?” I demanded. “What’s going on down there? Who is—”
Pop! Tristan appeared by my side.
“What’s going on?” he asked, looking from me to Julia. He took in her expression and stepped protectively in front of me.
“It’s too dangerous, especially for you,” Julia hissed at me. And then she disappeared with a pop.
Tristan turned to me. “Are you okay? What—”
“Julia’s hiding a girl down there, Tristan! With Ophelia! What if it’s her? Our daugh—”
Tristan shook his head. “Lex, that’s where they keep Amadis who have broken the law and unstable converts. You probably sensed a young shifter or witch who lost control. Who can hurt you. They’re delivering food and water. That’s all.”
“I want to see for myself. How do you know it’s not the girl—the hidden girl?”
“Right under the Council Hall where anyone can find her? That’s not exactly hidden.”
He had a point. And because I knew he would be honest with me, I gave in, let him take my hand, and lead me for the flash to our suite.