𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 ✔

Chapter Twenty-Five

The next morning was brisk. Much colder than it should have been, which slightly worried me.

I found no books that gave me any information on Witches like I had hoped for. Though, I suppose just trying to find a book about magic and Witches in the Castle Library of the son of an Emperor, who was notorious for loathing magic, was quite a foolish endeavor indeed. The man was widely renown for burning women suspected of Witchcraft, so it made perfect sense to have all literature about them removed from the empire as well.

The three of us agreed to meet just outside the throne room after breakfast was over. Upon my arrival, which seemed to have been much later than the others, I found Sebastian first. He was holding an axe in his right hand and looked slightly sweaty. I wondered how he was not freezing to death, but in his defense none of us knew the temperature was going to drop so suddenly.

Not a few seconds later Adam appeared from around the right side of the building. The two of them matched as they both wore undershirts that were tucked into their pants, though Sebastian's sleeves were tucked into black gloves and Adam's hands were bare. It was odd to see them both so under dressed, Sebastian more so than Adam, but I figured the less clothes the better because anything more would have restricted their movement. Something they both were going to need the most of in the next few minutes.

"What have you been doing?" I asked Sebastian.

"Chopping wood for our bonfire later." He wiped a drop of sweat from his brow. "Why is it so cold out here in August? I understand we are higher in elevation, but it still should not feel like autumn in the summer."

The thought of Sebastian chopping wood like a commoner was quite funny to me. Him having to do hard labor for once pleased me, but he did not look upset about having to do something so beneath him. Perhaps he chopped wood at his own estate to let off steam, which would've explained his large arms and shoulders.

"Maybe it's just a cold snap." Adam reassured us, "We are in the mountains after all."

The three of us were not convinced at all. Something had started to feel wrong, out of place. It sent a chill down my spine; however, we had already gone that far so what else was there left to do but proceed?

Adam unlocked the large doors that lead to the throne room. The ceiling was raised so high, and the room was so wide, that our footsteps echoed as we made our way to his Throne. There were tapestries hanging from the walls and stone columns that bore his family crest and colors. The windows were large with stained glass pictures of Lions, the Leroux family crest, and Crosses. It was rather empty and gave off an eerie feel and I understood why Adam never stepped foot in the building. Without people to fill the room it would have made anyone feel utterly alone.

Sebastian split off from us and went to hide behind the columns on the left side of the room, leaving the two of us alone to take our places in front of the throne, in plain sight for the Witch to see when she walked through the entrance.

He grabbed my hand, "Everything is going to be alright, all I have to do is summon her, keep her distracted and when Sebastian is in position, I will quickly grab her arms from behind, force her on her knees and he will remove her head from her shoulders before she has time to react."

"Understood." I squeezed his hand, then whispered, "Did he ask you for a favor in return for his help?"

"He did, why?" Adam looked at me curiously.

"Be careful, he is not the same man you knew from seven years ago."

"You two know a great deal about one another. How long have you two been acquainted?" He looked sad.