I thought I knew my world. The people in it, the secrets they held, their intentions. . .
Turns out I didn't have a clue.
They lie and deceive and manipulate you without you knowing. You let your guard down around the people you trust the most, only...
I didn't return to my room after I ran out of Sean's, not right away at least. Instead I made a beeline for my happy place-the library. Before I entered, I stole a couple of guards who were wandering the halls and ordered them to not allow anyone to enter. Once I entered, I struck the fire I settled into a cabriole sofa, flipped to a random page and began to read Sorcerer Mcloughlin's journal.
Memory Spell
To fill in the blanks
Moments lost make witches wonder
Warlocks plot or Demon's plunder
If this is not a prank help us to
Fill in the blanks
Sleep spell
Poppy, yar and Brisbane steep
To make a potion for potent sleep
I skipped ahead a few pages.
Return spell
take us back from whence we came
to time and place that are the same
let past be present
that time regain
to summon the dead
place five candles in a loose circle on the floor, light the candles and then chant:
hear these words hear my cry
spirit from the other side
come to me I summon thee
cross now the great divide
I flipped through the pages until I came upon a page that was dated three years after I was born. On my birthday.
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March 9th, 2001
Adelaide turns three today! As a birthday present, I tried to teach her the fire spell but it didn't end so well. A note to myself: buy the king a new robe. But the look on her face couldn't have made me more proud. I am so grateful to have a daughter like her, and so far she and Seán get along well. I dread the day she turns ten...
I didn't realize I had started pacing the floor until I looked up and realized where I was sitting was now empty... I closed the journal, hugging it close to my chest. My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes. Why me? Why was this happening? One minute I was a princess destined to rule a kingdom, and now... I don't even deserve the title of Queen. No, I don't think I'd be able to live my life knowing that I'm in position of power that I didn't deserve. My thoughts were interrupted by a loud creaking coming from under my feet. I looked down at the ornate carpet and saw nothing out of the ordinary; it must be the floor. I put a bit more pressure on floor and it creaked eerily.
"Hmm..."
Curiously, I bent down and pulled the carpet away, revealing the outline of a circular hatch with a pull out handle. I pulled the heavy door open and let it thud on the opposite side. Peering over the edge I observed what hid in the hatch.
I circled the brim of the hole, eyeing it curiously. The tunnel was black and seemed to go on forever. I didn't even appear as if it was a fresh hole: the walls of the tunnel were made entirely of stone and a wooden ladder winded all the way down.
"What in the world is-" suddenly a ball of pitch blankess with eyes and a mouth of fire shot out from the darkness. It had a tail that writhed unnaturally. I leaped back with a scream as the thing flew into the ceiling, sending the chandelier flying to the other side and crashing into a bookshelf. It shook itself, like a person shaking their head after being hit to hard, then, it barreled towards me. I screamed again and desperately clambered out of the way. I bolted toward the door, but something whipped passed my head and instantly the library door was enveloped in a strange inky material. I barely had a chance to turn around before its tail striked me across the face, sending my body flying and crashing into an unshelfed stack of books. I staggered to my feet and got one glance at a snarling face. Making a split second decision I dove head first into the tunnel, slamming the hatch.
