Inside the Beast's Castle

Chapter 32--Raul

Zara

"Raul!"

Raul's name sprung from my lips before I even touched the door to enter the castle. I stole a frantic look behind me to see what was happening. All I saw was the snow which had started to fall.

I pushed the door with all my might, finally making it budge. "Raul!"

Footsteps beat against the floor upstairs, running toward me.

"Yes, Miss?" A small, faint voice squeaked next to my ear.

I turned.

Not Raul.

"Lia," I couldn't keep the panic from my voice. "Where is Raul."

Not a question.

Lia smiled calmly. "He asked me to take over for him."

My chest heaved. A chill wind blew In from outside. "I need him."

Lia didn't move.

"Now."

Her face fell. "I'm sorry, Miss. I can't. He told me nobody but--"

Heat rose to my cheeks. "Listen, Lia. Your master told me to get Raul. If you need further description, currently, Brennen is outside, in the snow, throwing up blood and halfway turning into a...c reature."

Her eyes widened.

I nodded. "If you don't get me Raul, then I will do it myself, which won't be very pretty, considering that you two are somehow linked. Kapeche?"

Emilia lowered her head in obedience. "Yes, Miss. Call Raul again."

Thank you.

"Raul!"

Slowly, Lia's body started to grow. Her short blonde hair grew even shorter and lighter, turning a very dull shade of gray. Her eyes suddenly lost all color, like a torch that had been blown out, then lit back to a dark brown. Her whole body grew and changed shape, along with the clothes she was wearing.

Soon, I was no longer looking at Lia. I was staring at Raul.

"Yes, Miss?" he asked.

Suddenly, I could no longer breathe. The air came out of me in frantic gasps.

"It's Brennen," I cried, finally able to speak. My hands shook with fear. "He's--he's--there's something wrong."

Raul's face paled even more than usual. "Where?" he demanded, already walking quickly toward the still-standing door.

I followed right behind him. "Near... near the maze, I think."

Raul didn't stop half running through the snow. "Can you make light?"

The sun had set from the time it took me to go into the castle, get Raul, and come out again.

I nodded. "Yes. Fos."

I held up my hand, and a tiny ball of light hovered above my palm.

Raul glanced over and nodded his approval. "Good job."

I didn't feel the need to say 'thanks.'

Raul started speed walking faster. I had to jog to catch up. He was fast. Snowflakes blew in a whirlwind around us, trying to block our vision. The wind began to howl, sounding like a wolf.

Raul heard it too. "Zara, stay near me," he croaked.

"Wasn't that the wind?"

Raul turned his head around to look at me doubtfully. "Miss Zara, that was no more the wind than I am a teenager."