Page 64 of Death of a Mortal

I dropped my eyes back to the map, unable to hold his scrutinous gaze any longer. It was then that I noticed a thin, inked square near the kitchen and a note in small print at the bottom corner that said “Pre-renovations.”

I didn’t dare react.

The dungeons were either left out of the blueprints on purpose, or they didn’t exist when the castle was originally built and were added during the renovations.

Based on the history lesson from the prince earlier, the castle was built when Caedryn and his mother, Seralyth, had first ascended the throne, moving Ashenholt’s capital to Dolvenar.

And a kind and benevolent queen would never have agreed to adungeon. So it had to be part of the renovations that timed almost precisely with the late queen’s death.

The wheels in my head were turning fast.

Without answering my question, per usual, the prince rolled up the blueprint and smiled at me in a very sharp and unsettling way.

“This has been a wonderful night, Naci, and I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing the library. We should get you back before Miss Melda has both of our heads for having you out this late.”

My heart sank, but his smile changed, softened. And when he held out his hand for me and squeezed mine when they connected, it felt like there was no bad blood between us.

I wanted so badly to believe things were okay with us, but it felt like he was covering up what he was thinking and feeling.

We crept through the dark and silent castle once more, and when we arrived back at the door to the laundry wing, he kissed my hand with a slight bow and a wink and left me reeling for a whole hour in my bed before I could fall asleep.

I wasn’t sure if my squirming belly was from the events of the night that had already transpired or the fear of things that could transpire if he thought I was lying to him.

And as high as I’d felt finally being with Varyn, I felt just as low now, wondering if I’d made a grave mistake.

Chapter 17

Beyond the Torchlight

I woke thenext morning with a complete emotional hangover. I was sore and confused, desperate to both find the dungeons and my mom, and also to see Varyn again. Last night, he’d seen every piece of me. Today, I wasn’t sure which pieces of him had been real.

“Nella, I need to tell you something. Will you skip breakfast to stay here?”

She stretched her arms over her head and agreed through a yawn.

Once the rest of the laundry ladies left the room, I turned on my bed to face Nella sitting on hers.

“After I got into bed last night, I found a note the prince had left me asking me to meet him when everyone was asleep.”

She looked at me incredulously for not telling her sooner.

“He snuck me into the library and—”

“You were sneaking around the castle late at night with the prince? Oh, how romantic and adventurous!”

She was glowing with glee while my gut churned at the thought of what Varyn and I had done.

Of course, I wouldn’t be sharingthosedetails with her.

“Yes, he gave me a tour of the library and told me about the paintings, statues, and the history. There was—”

“Did he kiss you? Please say yes!”

“Please say no.” Noxie.

“He did, but that’s not the important part right now. There was an area on the second floor—”

“Of course, that’s the important part!” She screamed into her pillow. “What could possibly be more important than the prince falling madly in love with you?”