“We want to go undetected.” Jack reminded me, giving me a small pat on the shoulder.
We waited until no more sounds could be heard before we emerged from the cramped broom cupboard and continued down the hall. There were so many halls, doors, staircases and winding passageways that I found myself utterly lost and wondering if I had seen that painting before. Hopefully we weren’t going in circles. At last R?ven directed us towards an enormous spiral staircase that seemed to go on forever. She pointed upwards and smiled meekly, and I knew we must be close.
We began ascending the stairs. By the 100th step I was beginning to feel quite sick of counting, and tired. Round and round we went, climbing the stairs and wondering when they would end. Halfway up all three of us stopped dead in our tracks.
A horrible high pitched yowling echoed through the walls and seemed to pierce my heart.
“Hawthorne!” I cried, now running up the stairs as fast as I could, slipping several times. Jack and R?ven were now struggling to keep up with me for I had found new energy and would stop at nothing until I found my flying fox. Part of me was angry beyond belief that he had been stolen yet another part was terrified of what I would find.
I was nearing the top of the endless spiral staircase now. My legs burned and my throat felt dry but it didn’t even register in my thoughts. As I reached the top R?ven flew past me in her bird form. It seemed her legs had been tired and she had taken to flying instead. Upon the landing there was nothing more than a cold stone wall and large, heavy double doors. This looked like the topmost tower, the highest peak. Beyond this door lay no more stairs. Beyond this door … Hawthorne.
“Are you sure?” I whispered to R?ven.
The black bird gave a feeble whistle to indicate that this was indeed the correct room.
My heart beat wildly and my hand shook as I reached for the heavy door knob. The metal was freezing against my skin and I fretted about what else besides Hawthorne lay on the other side of this door. But I knew I would be able to brave it, I would do anything to get Hawthorne back.
“Avalon?” Jack whispered, his breath cascading down my neck, “We are right behind you.”
I nodded and gulped before pushing down on the handle only to discover that it was indeed locked.
Swearing, I turned to Jack who seemed to be thinking fast.
“Your hairpin.” Jack pointed to the stolen hairpiece I had commandeered from the guest bedroom earlier.
I hastily pulled the pin from my hair and handed it to Jack who twisted and bent it into shape. Kneeling down next to the lock he worked for what felt like an eternity. Clearly he wasn’t very good at breaking and entering though I couldn’t blame him for I wasn’t much help at the moment either. R?ven had perched herself upon my shoulder while we waited for Jack to unlock the door. Just as I was beginning to give up hope that Jack would ever open it a little click reached our ears and Jack stood up with a cheeky grin.
“See? Easy.” He boasted.
“You took your time.” I noted as he stepped aside but I fell silent as soon as another defining yowl reached my ears. Hawthorne sounded in pain. My very heart seemed to stop and time went in slow motion as I pushed the handle down and heaved the heavy doors open with Jacks help. Looking up my eyes scanned the room and what I saw made my stomach turn.
Chapter Twenty
Fire and Ice
The room before me was made entirely of Ice. My breath became mist in front of my face and the cold stung my flesh. There were no windows, no candles. The ice itself seemed to be glowing and emitting an eerie light. There was no carpet, or stone. There was no furniture. The ice room was vast yet very bare. In the centre of the room there was a throne of solid ice carved with intricate designs. But it was what was next to this throne that made my whole body freeze.
Tethered by a thick chain of never melting ice was an enormous jet black beast with glowing red eyes. Its lips were pulled back and its teeth were exposed in a long, menacing growl. Spittle hung from the beast’s mouth and the hair on its back stood on end. The ears upon its head were flat and its body was crouched and ready to attack. The only thing holding the monster back was the chain around its neck.
“Hawthorne.” The word escaped me as though I had been punched in the stomach. Before I realised what I was doing my legs were moving and I was running towards Hawthorne whose growls became even louder. He crouched lower to the ground.
Before I could take more than a few excited steps, hands clasped around my middle and held me back.
“Avalon no!” Jack said panicked, “He doesn’t recognise you.”
We struggled for a while as I tried to break free of Jack’s grip.
“No.” I said, “He knows me.” We continued grappling silently until R?ven broke it up with a few well placed pecks.
“Ow.” I hissed, swatting her away.