The Last of the Red Hot Vampires - By Katie MacAlister Page 0,52

whole trial thing. And while we're there, we can find out what it will take to get you a pardon."

"You think it will be just that easy?" he asked, amusement rich in his voice and face.

"Of course it won't be easy. But we can at least approach the problem in a logical manner, and that means learning enough to have a sound understanding of what sorts of solutions are reasonable. Thus, to Court we go."

Theo's lips twitched.

"We are smart people, Theo," I said as we marched down the stairs, pausing so he could don a long overcoat and a hat he'd bought off the pub owner. "We both have perfectly good brains, you have knowledge of the Court, and I have...well, I know physics, which I'm not quite certain how it will benefit us, but I am confident that we'll figure it all out."

Theo's laughter trailed behind him as we dashed out to his car.

It failed to reassure me.
Chapter 12
"You've got to be kidding."

"You're not impressed?"

I made a face and considered the white stone building. "On the contrary, I'm always impressed by castles. This one is particularly nice. It has a nice view of the ocean, and it's not falling down like lots of the castles Sarah has dragged me to see."

"But?"

"Portland Castle isn't really my idea of heaven," I said, waving a hand that I hoped would express all the emotions I was having difficulty verbalizing. "I know, I know, the Court isn't heaven, but it's similar, and well, this just isn't my idea of what heaven should look like!"

Theo laughed and took my hand, leading me in through the entrance, on the tail end of a group of tourists. "Would it help if I told you that the Court itself isn't in the castle?"

"Then why - "

"One of the portals is contained here. This way."

Heedless of the tour group, which was heading for the Tudor kitchens, Theo turned left and walked down a short hallway to a thick wooden door bearing a sign that read PRIVATE.

"You'll have to forgive my curiosity, but what was life like when this castle was new?" I asked as we entered a small, dark room, no doubt an administrative office. I shivered a little at a draft that seemed to be centered at the doorway.

"Dirty. Everyone had lice and diseases. And it smelled. Here we are. See this?" Theo pointed at a small niche in the outer wall of the room. It was probably intended to hold a candle or lamp. "Press the far left side, and the entrance to the portal should be revealed."

A dull rumbling noise had me turning around in surprise. The wall on the far side slid back about three feet, leaving an opening through which it was possible to enter. "Good gravy, don't tell me this castle has a secret passageway?"

"No doubt several. It was built by Henry VIII. He had a partiality to secret passageways. Left at the fork, then straight on."

The passageway was lit with soft lights, for which I was grateful considering the uneven floor. I proceeded down the narrow passage, obediently taking the left branch when the passage split into two. "What happens if you come here when someone is in the office?"

"Doesn't happen. That room is unoccupied, just made to look like an office in case someone stumbles upon it."

"Haven't the castle people noticed it?"

"I'm sure they have, but the room is warded so that they think nothing of it. All portals are created in such a way. They are visible to mortals, but made so that unless you know what the portal is, no memory of it will remain."

"That's a handy trick," I said, pushing back the skeptical thought that such a thing was impossible. "Is there anything else I should know other than what you told me on the drive here?"

"Through that misty blue doorway," Theo directed.

I stopped before the twirly bluish lights that evidently served as a portal to the Court. Despite several mental lectures, my stomach continued to churn unpleasantly.

"I told you - I've only been to the Court once, for a petition that failed. Non-members are seldom allowed in, and then only on Court business. I can't imagine they'd deny you and your champion entrance since you're undergoing the trials, but politeness will count heavily on your side."

"I'm always polite. Except to Sarah, but she's my oldest friend, so plain speaking is allowed," I said, taking a deep breath to calm my stomach. Theo must have felt my