The Unhappy Heart (Book 1 of The Wolfheart Trilogy)

23. Truth and Lies

"Imitate it and we will find out," Andrea hissed back.

Looking irritated but not sure how else to respond, Dagen let out a strange cry. It came low at first, ominous and foreboding as if warning of some great danger but then it rose higher like the wailing of some poor mourning soul. As shivers ran down Andrea's spine, she remembered it as a cry she had heard before. Like Dagen had said, the mourning bird cried out every night.

Mourning for the loss of the light and wailing for the coming darkness, Andrea thought. She looked up sharply as there came an answering cry. Then to both her and Dagen's amazement, a section of the palace wall moved and opened, revealing a small doorway. Even Andrea had to bend to duck though. 

Standing in the inner courtyard, Andrea turned to see a young palace maid, pushing the door shut. The door slid shut as quickly and as silently as it had opened, and the young girl turned to face them. She smiled brightly, showing a set of even white teeth. Tall and elegant as she was, Andrea would have sooner thought her a princess than a maid.
With amber almond eyes set in a dark face and with black hair braided into dozens of tight braids, each with a clasp of gold, she certainly outshone any princess Andrea has seen in her fairy-tale pictures. Several pale markings were scattered across her hands, arms, and face, one forming a semi-ring around her eye, like a crescent moon. It reminded Andrea bitterly of Celena and she wondered what on earth had Priscilla obsessed with the marking. She didn't ponder on it, however as the maid was urgently beckoning them to follow her. When they did so, she walked swiftly and gracefully towards the palace entry, her sky-blue dress swishing about her ankles and her many bangles clinking musically against one another. They went up the stair and through the doorway, stepping into a marvelously decorated hall.
The maid pointed to the far end.

"There is a large entry at the end of the hall. Ignore it and take the stairs to the left. It will lead to another smaller hall upstairs. Take the door at the far end. I think the king will be there. If he is not, wait there. He may have gone to speak with his advisor Lord Rane."

 She had Andrea repeat the instructions then with a small curtsy, she disappeared quickly. As Dagen and Andrea went to climb the steps there came a sudden clanging of bells and a loud chorus of shouting was taking up.

"Looks like Ulric kept his word after all," commented Dagen. He broke off as Andrea shoved him behind the stairway, out of sight of a pair of hurrying soldiers. Dagen and Andrea stood breathless, waiting until the noise died down a little.

Andrea glanced at Dagen. "You ready?"

Dagen nodded grimly. "Ready as I'll ever be."

With that they began to ascend the stairs. As they came to the door at the far end of the second hall, they once again hesitated. Glancing at one another nervously, they nodded. 

Dagen stepped forward and drawing his sword with one hand, he swung the door open with his free hand. At the same time, there was sound of slamming drawers and hurrying footsteps. But as the door swung wide open, silence reigned, and both saw the room was pitch black. 

Dagen muttered a command and Andrea grabbed a torch from the hall. Entering the room cautiously, they both peered around. It was a study of some sort, Andrea realised, taking in a large desk and several shelves. As they passed the desk, Andrea caught sight of a fallen candle. The paper that it lay upon was splattered with several drops of melted wax. Reaching out and touching one, Andrea found it was soft and warm.

Holding the torch up higher, spreading the light across the room, Andrea saw something move. It was a red curtain pulled across a large window, blocking out the light of the rising sun. One side of the curtain bulked out a little and it was to this that Andrea gestured to.