Back in Drake’s quarters, I didn’t waste time. I changed from the dress I had been wearing to jeans, a tee, and boots. Next, I picked up the dagger hidden under Drake’s pillow and tucked it into my belt. Who knew how easy, or hard, it would be to find this hidden treasure room, and I wasn’t naive enough to think I wouldn’t run into any vampire while at it. My magic was almost all gone; I couldn’t count on it to protect me for long.

Thomas paced around the living room. “What can I do?” he asked for the twentieth time while I finished getting ready.

I had explained to him I needed to find something in order to help Drake, but I hadn’t gone into details. The less he knew, the better.

“Just stay here. Keep the doors locked. Hide if you have to.” I paused, realizing things could go sideways. “If I can’t find what I’m looking for, if Drake …” I sucked in a sharp breath, because I really didn’t want to think about it. “If something happens to Drake, you’ll be alone here. You need to find a way to get out of this castle.”

His eyes grew big. “B-but … I have nowhere to go.”

I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Better lost outside than trapped in here like a slave. Promise me you’ll find a way out.”

“I-I promise,” he said, his voice breaking.

As much as I wanted to believe him, I really doubted he would take any action. If it came down to it, it was more likely Thomas would hide inside Drake’s chambers and hope he was left alone, rather than escaping.

If I could, I would have dragged him with me, but I was weak and lost as it was. I couldn’t risk taking him down with me.

“Be well,” I told him.

“Good luck,” he whispered.

My heart hammered as I took the stairs leading to the kitchen. Holy shit, I was going to sneak under the dungeons and try to find a hidden treasure room in a castle swarming with vampires who would rather drain me dry. And I had to hurry because I had no idea what was going on with Drake. I hoped whatever Alex’s plans were for him that they would take a while to carry out.

The kitchen was busy, but no human paid much attention to me as I slipped past them.

In the hallway, I held my breath and looked around, straining to hear any sound that would indicate someone was coming. When no sound reached my ears, I started moving, as fast and silent as I could, down the hallway, toward one of the dungeon’s entrances.

I was almost at the hidden entrance when I heard a loud growl coming from behind me.

Shit.

I turned and found Prince Alex staring me. First, desire flashed in his eyes, but when his gaze found the dagger hanging at my waist, his eyes darkened. “What do you think you’re doing?”

I took a step back, getting closer to the door. Realization hit me. If I went for the door now, he would simply come after me. It would be worse. I had to find a way to get away from him so he wouldn’t see where I was headed.

“Answer me, pet!”

I lifted my chin, defiant. I wasn’t afraid of him anymore. “I only answer to Prince Drake,” I said, knowing it would tick him off.

He let out another deep growl before lunging at me.

With a deep inhale, I summoned the little bit of magic left in me. The power coursed through my veins, warming my insides. I raised my hand and let it out.

A white spark flew from my palm and hit him square in the chest, flinging him back to the other end of the corridor, where he smacked against the archway and hit the stone wall and slid down to the ground.

He groaned, trying to recover. “Guards!” he yelled. I heard heavy footsteps advancing from another hallway. “Get her!” He pointed at me.

I stared at the archway, waiting. After what seemed an eternity, the archway shook, and the stones fell with loud thuds. Smoke filled the hallway.

I didn’t wait to see if the guards jumped over the fallen stones and ran through the smoke. I simply spun on my boots and ran. I dashed into the first hidden entrance, cursing under my breath, and praying my plan worked and they didn’t see me.

Once the entrance closed behind me, I pulled out a small flashlight Thomas had given me from my pocket and turned it on.

I sucked in a long, steadying breath and moved.

This place was a labyrinth. Long corridors, winding down and down for what felt like forever.

My blood thundered in my ears each time I found more archways, bisected by corridors and stairs. How would I know which way to go? I could only guess and hope I was choosing the right one.

Much like I had done with the hedge maze in the gardens, I marked the way I was going, but this time, I drew tiny arrows on the stone walls every few feet with the dagger I had gotten from Drake.

Hours passed and I didn’t feel any closer to where I was supposed to go. And where the hell I was supposed to go? For all I knew, whatever Drake read in Lord Reynard’s journal had been lies. False entries so no one could find his beloved treasure room. If it even existed.

But as I was about to take a break, a faint light shone ahead. I hurried my steps, almost tripping down the stairs, until I was standing under a small archway and staring into a wide room that looked like the museum upstairs, though here the items were more obscure: a shelf full of vials with liquids of many colors, another shelf full of books and what looked like journals, pieces of broken furniture taking over a corner, a wall covered by all sorts of weapons and boxes—boxes of every size and shape.

My heart sped up.

This was it. Inside one of these boxes was the heart of my coven.

I had made it.

Eager, I zipped from box to box. Some were too big for the heart, others were too small; I didn’t even check them. Others were locked. I groaned each time I tried to open them and couldn’t. I would search all of them first, and if I still didn’t find the heart, I would go back to the locked ones. I kept going, examining the hundreds of boxes, my hope fading with each false lead.

Until I saw it.

A black box, just the right size, with ancient runes carved around its side. Witch runes.

That was it. This was the box, I was sure of it.

My heart threatened to jump out of my chest as I reached for it. My hands trembled as I tried the lid. To my surprise, I found it unlocked.

I flipped the lid open.

The air fled my lungs.

The box was empty.