UNLEASH | D.M (UNRAVEL BOOK 6)

[ 26 ]

Aine's heels clicked heavily against the dark emerald green tiles, echoing as she followed the path that Helfnur had directed. She passed the circular archway, feeling herself gradually reeling into the curved walls of the hallway. The minimal lighting made it seem like she was treading into an endless corridor, like the ones in her dreams. No matter how much she walked, there was no light at the end of the tunnel-like space, no way out.

Thankfully, that wasn't the case for her reality when a soft glow of light illuminated the end of the passageway. On the other side of the long pathway was a middle-aged woman with a tight bun sitting behind a marbled counter desk. She looked up when she spotted Aine and raised a questioning brow. "Welcome to the Hall of Records. How may I help you..." she trails off, not knowing how to address the young lady who had approached her. She cast a quick look at the golden ministry pin on Aine's collar before meeting her sweet smile. A layer of white clouded over her charcoal brown eyes after she locked eyes with Aine.

"Hestia Arcken," Aine introduces the alias she went by. "I wish to review some records," she stated firmly and confidently.

The woman gave her a dazed nod before wheeling her chair halfway around and extending her arm towards the large majestic doors behind her. "Right this way," she gestures under a trance. The doors that looked like two golden wings of a Hippogriff swung open at her command, revealing an even longer road ahead.

Aine glanced furtively around, she kept her watch on the woman at the front desk as she passed around it. She leaned one elbow onto the cold stoned surface and spoke softly while hypnotising the older woman. "No one came to visit the Hall of Records today... You will forget meeting me here and if anyone were to ask about me, you will tell them nothing for as long as you live..."  she whispered.

"I will not remember..." the woman mumbles back and Aine grins devilishly in response, her white scleras turning black for a split second before she blinks away, returning to normal.

"Keep anyone who comes here out until I'm done," she instructed, tugging on the controls over the woman's mind. 

"As you wish, Lady Arcken..."

Aine tore her sight away from the woman and stepped into the archive room, the door swallowing her into the massive room with a groan. Darkness enveloped her when the entrance doors shut and the silence was deafening. The room wasn't entirely dark and there was a subtle brilliance in the frosted glass roof above but it did little impact on making the environment visible. 

Homenum Revelio, she cast in her head just in case to know if she was truly alone before she started digging around. Her spell spreads across the vast space before settling down into the cracks of the flooring. There was nothing. 

She was alone.

Good... Let's keep it that way, she tells herself.

Aine took one step before it turned to two steps, and three. The next thing she knew, she was already walking with certainty in the dark room. However, she made sure to keep her guard up. Although no one told her anything about the room, she could sense that the entire place was filled with enchantments that prevented her from using some spells.

Figured, she thought. It was the Ministry of Magic and the Hall of Records was one of the most classified and important places that store all the knowledge of magical beings. Though the security here wasn't as tight as she expected, she imagined there would be various obstacles she had to clear before entering the place. Or that there would be lasers concealed like those spy Muggle movies Hermione once told her about.

Nonetheless, Aine was cautious as she wandered where her foot went. Not for a single moment, did she relax or lower her defences. It was better to be safe than sorry.