The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea - Kerrelyn Sparks Page 0,48

waves and larger plants trimmed into the shapes of dolphins and other sea creatures.

This had to be the castle, she thought. What other garden in all of Aerthlan would look like this? But why were her dreams coming true? Did this mean she would meet her mother inside?

As they approached the back of the castle, she noted a wide staircase leading up to the main floor that had a large balcony overlooking the garden. But instead of heading up the stairs, Alfred and Darroc led her to a plain door on the ground level that looked like the servants’ entrance.

Apprehension crept into her bones as they entered and she noted the gray, unadorned stone walls. Was she on her way to the dungeon? The stone floor was cool beneath her bare feet, but felt dusty. The soldiers’ leather sandals made clopping noises that echoed off the walls. Clunk. Clunk. The repetitive sound grated on her nerves, reminding her of the slow drumbeat that announced a doomed criminal arriving at the gallows.

Soon they entered a vast cellar room, its low arched ceiling supported by numerous stone pillars. No windows, so the air was stale and musty. Light from a few torches flickered, but most of the room remained in shadow. Across the wide room, beside one torch, she spotted iron bars. A row of prison cells.

At the end of the row, a gasp came from the shadows. Then a crash.

“What is going on?” Darroc pulled a torch from its wall bracket and walked toward the noise.

In the light, Maeve could see a girl behind the bars staring at her. In front of the bars, an older woman was hunched down, hastily collecting wooden bowls and utensils off the floor and depositing them on a wooden tray.

“What are you doing here, Ruth?” Alfred demanded.

“I came to pick up Gabby’s breakfast tray,” Ruth mumbled, her head bowed.

The girl behind bars was Gabby? Maeve thought she looked only about sixteen or so. Hardly more than a child. Why on Aerthlan was she locked up?

Alfred scoffed. “Well, you certainly made a mess of it.”

“I’m sorry, Colonel.” Ruth straightened, holding the tray. “I didn’t mean to drop it. We were just shocked when we saw the young woman—”

“Right,” Gabby agreed. “She looks so much like—”

“Enough!” Alfred snarled. “Get back to work, both of you. And Gabby, there will be more coins arriving this afternoon.”

Gabby’s shoulders slumped as she retreated into her cell.

Maeve gritted her teeth. “This is outrageous. Why is that girl imprisoned?”

Alfred scoffed, then pointed at the next cell. “You could end up there, so keep your mouth shut.”

“Bully,” Gabby muttered, and Alfred shot her a vicious look.

Maeve lifted her chin. “Take me to Queen Cahira immediately. I need to have a word with her.”

Gabby ran to the bars and grabbed on to them. “Ask her about Gavin. I haven’t seen him in—”

“Enough!” Alfred shouted. “Ruth, do you know where the queen is?”

Ruth slanted Maeve a worried look, then replied with her head bowed. “She’s in the tank, taking her morning swim.”

“This way.” Alfred motioned for Maeve to follow him.

Darroc slid the torch back into place, then caught up with Maeve.

“Why is Gabby behind bars?” Maeve whispered.

“She refused to work,” he mumbled.

Maeve sighed. The more she saw of this island, the more it angered her. What kind of queen could be so cruel to children? Even though Maeve knew she ought to be planning her escape so she could send a warning to her sisters and their husbands, the situation here was pressing on her mind and conscience. How could she leave these children without trying to help them?

Of course, if she wasn’t careful, she could end up in the prison cell next to Gabby.

After walking through a maze of narrow stone corridors, they finally stopped in front of a closed door.

“Darroc, stand guard here in case she tries to escape,” Alfred ordered.

“Aye, Colonel.”

Alfred opened the door and shoved Maeve inside. She stumbled a few steps, then halted in shock.

Was she underwater? No, she was perfectly dry and standing on a solid stone floor, but surrounding her was water. And fish.

“What is this place?” She moved to her right and pressed a hand against clear glass.

“This is the tank room.” Alfred closed the door behind them.

“I’ve never seen such a huge window.” She peered into the tank and saw fish, sea plants and coral. “It looks like the sea.”

“The tank has a tunnel that leads into the ocean, so sometimes fish find their way inside.”