Read Online Music Box (The Dollhouse Books, #4) by Anya Allyn - Free Book Online
Authors: Anya Allyn
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inspected the blade. It seemed strong enough. I looked again—for axes—or anything that looked like it could do the job.
With the sword and an axe, I blundered back to the passage that was blocked with tree roots. Lighting a candle that I’d taken from Etiennette’s things in the small cave, I knelt and then fixed the candle to the floor by dripping some hot wax. I hacked and sawed at the roots—yelling and grunting my fear and anger with abandon.
It took three nights to saw enough of the tree away to be able to break through.
Breathing deeply, I crawled in. The rough edges of the splintered roots scraped and scratched at me. But I made it through to the other side.
Reaching back for the candle, I began my journey upward.
The passage continued forever—it had to be going all the way through the cliff to the castle grounds. I lost track of time as I followed the winding path.
Moonlight lit the walls ahead. The passage was coming to an end. I had to take care—I had no way of knowing what lay beyond the exit. I blew the candle out.
Moving up to the craggy opening, I stole a glance outside. A curtain of rain streamed down. I was not yet on the castle grounds. Steep steps led to a wide ledge on the side of the cliff, where the steps rose sharply—beaten smooth and precarious by the ocean weather. There was no one to see me. Stepping outside, I tilted my face to the warm rain, watching the stairway disappear around a corner in the cliff face. Above the cliff, a tower loomed. A hard lump formed in my throat.
The tower.
The downpour drenched my face and body as I stood in silent witness.
My fear urged me to go back. Whoever the occupant of the tower was, they would not take kindly to me trespassing. And they were sure to alert Balthazar. They had seen everything—from my walking down the chapel aisle to marry Zach to my marriage at Balthazar’s side. They had coldly watched my every anguish.
There was no other way to go forward except through a gate that led to the tower—and that was a path I could not tread.
Dr. Verena’s words came back to me. She had taunted me that there was something here at the castle that I sought, and that was why I was here. I had sensed the castle’s secrets the first time I had seen that high, dark window. And now, I felt the force inside the tower overwhelm me, swamp my every defense.
A chill fear rattled inside my chest.
Whatever the tower held was my deepest, darkest nightmare.
Turning, I fled back to the passage.
7. The Search
––––––––
E THAN
I crowd out all thought of the family I’m walking away from. Jack and Deandra have forced my hand, and there is nothing I can do to convince them of what really lies in wait for them at the bottom of the hill.
Frozen wind blusters around my face. My body heats and chills at the same time and I realize I’m running a temperature. I can’t afford to get sick now—I’ve a long way to go to reach Miami and get back to Cassie.
Down in the camp, two boys shoot from behind a truck—racing away and up the hill. Their skin is dark against the white backdrop, their small bodies scrawny—they can’t be more than five and seven.
Three soldiers pursue the boys—two women and a man. No, not soldiers—rangers. I duck behind an abandoned car. The boys head in my direction, then run to the left, to a factory that looks like it was abandoned a long time before the serpents ever came. The rangers advance on the factory just as I see the boys race up a stairway on the second floor.
“You get ’em, Nance and Gina,” calls the male. “I’ll wait here in case they come out again.”
“You’re out of puff, fat boy,” one of the rangers replies—a woman with dark hair pulled severely back in a ponytail.
The other woman—with shoulder-length blonde hair—gives a hooting laugh.
The women are perhaps in their mid-twenties, and the man no older than twenty. He wipes his nose on his sleeve—his cheeks reddened
With the sword and an axe, I blundered back to the passage that was blocked with tree roots. Lighting a candle that I’d taken from Etiennette’s things in the small cave, I knelt and then fixed the candle to the floor by dripping some hot wax. I hacked and sawed at the roots—yelling and grunting my fear and anger with abandon.
It took three nights to saw enough of the tree away to be able to break through.
Breathing deeply, I crawled in. The rough edges of the splintered roots scraped and scratched at me. But I made it through to the other side.
Reaching back for the candle, I began my journey upward.
The passage continued forever—it had to be going all the way through the cliff to the castle grounds. I lost track of time as I followed the winding path.
Moonlight lit the walls ahead. The passage was coming to an end. I had to take care—I had no way of knowing what lay beyond the exit. I blew the candle out.
Moving up to the craggy opening, I stole a glance outside. A curtain of rain streamed down. I was not yet on the castle grounds. Steep steps led to a wide ledge on the side of the cliff, where the steps rose sharply—beaten smooth and precarious by the ocean weather. There was no one to see me. Stepping outside, I tilted my face to the warm rain, watching the stairway disappear around a corner in the cliff face. Above the cliff, a tower loomed. A hard lump formed in my throat.
The tower.
The downpour drenched my face and body as I stood in silent witness.
My fear urged me to go back. Whoever the occupant of the tower was, they would not take kindly to me trespassing. And they were sure to alert Balthazar. They had seen everything—from my walking down the chapel aisle to marry Zach to my marriage at Balthazar’s side. They had coldly watched my every anguish.
There was no other way to go forward except through a gate that led to the tower—and that was a path I could not tread.
Dr. Verena’s words came back to me. She had taunted me that there was something here at the castle that I sought, and that was why I was here. I had sensed the castle’s secrets the first time I had seen that high, dark window. And now, I felt the force inside the tower overwhelm me, swamp my every defense.
A chill fear rattled inside my chest.
Whatever the tower held was my deepest, darkest nightmare.
Turning, I fled back to the passage.
7. The Search
––––––––
E THAN
I crowd out all thought of the family I’m walking away from. Jack and Deandra have forced my hand, and there is nothing I can do to convince them of what really lies in wait for them at the bottom of the hill.
Frozen wind blusters around my face. My body heats and chills at the same time and I realize I’m running a temperature. I can’t afford to get sick now—I’ve a long way to go to reach Miami and get back to Cassie.
Down in the camp, two boys shoot from behind a truck—racing away and up the hill. Their skin is dark against the white backdrop, their small bodies scrawny—they can’t be more than five and seven.
Three soldiers pursue the boys—two women and a man. No, not soldiers—rangers. I duck behind an abandoned car. The boys head in my direction, then run to the left, to a factory that looks like it was abandoned a long time before the serpents ever came. The rangers advance on the factory just as I see the boys race up a stairway on the second floor.
“You get ’em, Nance and Gina,” calls the male. “I’ll wait here in case they come out again.”
“You’re out of puff, fat boy,” one of the rangers replies—a woman with dark hair pulled severely back in a ponytail.
The other woman—with shoulder-length blonde hair—gives a hooting laugh.
The women are perhaps in their mid-twenties, and the man no older than twenty. He wipes his nose on his sleeve—his cheeks reddened
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