Chapter Twenty-Three

The open doors shed light into the chamber hopefully before fading away into shadow as if unable to combat the darkness of the mage who lived within, and our footsteps echoed hollowly.

There were more statues in the entry hall. Servants I assumed, who had been turned to stone due to the displeasure of their master.

A large, grand fireplace stood cold, and the torches on the wall had long burned out. The chill of the mage’s magic, I realized. A chill that probably prevented the grand fireplace from being lit. I had heard of such things occurring, where the magic was steeped with profound sorrow and grief, usually accompanied by the presence of shades.

Drifts of dust scattered under the movement of air through the door, and along the wall, I saw several rodents pause in their scurry to sniff at us, evaluating our threat to their missions, before dismissing us and continuing along their paths.

Derien stood on the first landing of the staircase and for the first time swept back the hood