The Castle

The gates closed behind her.

She stood completely still.

For the first time since entering Hell, she was alone.

The castle stretched before her, its enormous corridors disappearing into darkness. Black stone covered the walls, interrupted by tall windows that revealed the crimson sky outside.

There was no sound.

No footsteps.

No voices.

Nothing.

She looked over her shoulder.

The gates were still there.

She could leave.

At least, she assumed she could.

But she hadn’t crossed Hell just to turn around.

She took a breath.

“Okay.”

She stepped forward.

Her footsteps echoed through the entrance hall.

Click.

Click.

Click.

She glanced around.

The castle didn’t feel abandoned.

That was the strange part.

It felt like someone had just left.

A long black coat hung from a wooden stand beside the staircase.

She walked toward it.

Her fingers brushed the fabric.

It was soft.

Cold.

And somehow familiar.

She remembered those arms around her.

The same darkness.

The same strange warmth beneath it.

She quickly pulled her hand away.

“Stop.”

She shook her head.

She wasn’t going to let herself get distracted.

She had come here for answers.

She continued deeper into the castle.

⸻

The first room she found was a library.

She pushed open the heavy doors.

Her mouth fell slightly open.

Books covered almost every wall.

Hundreds.

Maybe thousands.

Some were bound in leather.

Others looked ancient enough to crumble if touched.

She stepped inside.

Dust floated through the air.

She ran her fingers along the nearest shelf.

The titles were written in languages she didn’t recognize.

She pulled one out.

The cover was completely black.

There was no title.

She opened it.

The pages were blank.

She frowned.

“Seriously?”

She flipped through several more.

Nothing.

Then she reached the middle.

A single sentence appeared on the page.

YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE.

She stared.

The words slowly disappeared.

She dropped the book.

It hit the floor with a loud thud.

“Okay.”

She stepped backward.

“That’s enough of the creepy castle.”

A voice came from behind her.

“You’ve barely seen it.”

She froze.

Her heart jumped.

She slowly turned.

No one.

She looked toward the balcony above.

Nothing.

“Very funny.”

Silence.

She crossed her arms.

“You can come out now.”

Nothing.

She sighed.

“Fine.”

She turned toward the door.

Then his voice came again.

“Why did you come?”

She stopped.

This time, she didn’t turn around immediately.

“I already told you.”

“I want to hear you say it again.”

She looked toward the upper level.

He stood there.

At the edge of the balcony.

The shadow.

Her shadow.

The one she’d seen in her bedroom.

He was taller than she’d imagined.

Dark clothing blended into the darkness around him.

His face remained hidden beneath the shadows.

But his silver eyes were unmistakable.

She smiled.

“You.”

He didn’t move.

“You crossed Hell.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

She leaned against the table.

“Are you going to keep asking me that?”

“Until I understand.”

She studied him.

“You really don’t?”

“No.”

She looked down at the book lying on the floor.

“I wanted to see you again.”

His gaze followed hers.

“Why?”

She sighed.

“You’re obsessed with that question.”

He said nothing.

She looked back at him.

“Maybe I’m obsessed with the answer.”

Something about his posture changed.

Barely.

But she noticed.

She pushed away from the table.

“I don’t know what you are.”

She took a step toward the stairs.

“I don’t know why you appear in my dreams.”

Another step.

“I don’t know why I can see you when I’m awake.”

She climbed the first step.

“But I know I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

He remained silent.

She climbed another.

“And I wanted to know if what I felt that night was real.”

His head tilted slightly.

“What did you feel?”

She stopped.

There it was.

The question she’d been waiting for.

She looked up at him.

“Something I didn’t understand.”

He said nothing.

She continued climbing.

“Something I shouldn’t have felt.”

Another step.

“And something I couldn’t forget.”

She reached the top of the stairs.

Only a few feet separated them now.

His silver eyes remained fixed on hers.

She smiled slightly.

“Does that answer your question?”

“No.”

She laughed softly.

“Of course it doesn’t.”

She walked past him.

He turned his head.

She stopped.

“Where are you going?”

She glanced over her shoulder.

“Exploring.”

“This isn’t your world.”

“I noticed.”

“You don’t know what’s in this castle.”

“Neither do you, apparently.”

His eyes narrowed.

She smiled.

“Relax.”

“I am relaxed.”

“You’re terrible at lying.”

For the briefest moment…

his lips almost curved.

Almost.

Then his expression returned to normal.

“You should leave.”

She turned fully toward him.

“No.”

His eyes darkened.

“You don’t understand.”

“Then explain it.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re asking questions that have answers you’re not ready to hear.”

She stared at him.

“Then I’ll decide whether I’m ready.”

Silence.

He looked away.

She studied him.

There was something strange about the way he avoided her.

It wasn’t hatred.

It wasn’t anger.

It almost seemed like…

fear.

Not of her.

For her.

She decided not to push.

Not yet.

Instead, she walked down the corridor.

He watched her go.

She stopped at a large doorway.

Inside was a sitting room.

A fireplace burned quietly.

Several paintings covered the walls.

She stepped inside.

Then stopped.

Her smile disappeared.

One of the paintings showed a bedroom.

Her bedroom.

Her exact bedroom.

Her bed.

Her window.

Even the little crack in the corner of the ceiling.

She moved closer.

Another painting.

Her standing in the same room.

Another.

Her asleep.

Another.

Her sitting on the edge of her bed.

Her breath caught.

She turned around.

He was standing in the doorway.

“You’ve been watching me.”

He didn’t answer.

She looked back at the paintings.

“How long?”

Silence.

She faced him again.

“How long have you been watching me?”

His silver eyes lowered.

“Long enough.”

Her stomach tightened.

“What does that mean?”

He stepped into the room.

“Nothing you need to worry about.”

She scoffed.

“You literally have paintings of me sleeping.”

“I know.”

“That’s not reassuring.”

“I wasn’t trying to reassure you.”

She stared at him.

Then, unexpectedly, she laughed.

He looked confused.

“What’s funny?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“You’ve been haunting my bedroom for who knows how long, and now you’re acting like I’m the strange one for coming to Hell looking for you.”

He stared at her.

She smiled.

“You’re a terrible demon.”

His head tilted.

“Perhaps.”

She looked at the paintings again.

Then back at him.

“Why me?”

His silence returned.

She waited.

Nothing.

“Fine.”

She turned toward the door.

“Keep your secrets.”

She walked past him.

But before she could leave, his voice stopped her.

“Stay.”

She froze.

Slowly, she turned around.

He stood in the middle of the room.

His face was still hidden.

His expression impossible to read.

But his voice had changed.

Softer.

“Stay here.”

She stared at him.

“Why?”

He looked toward the paintings.

Then back at her.

“Because if you leave this castle…”

A pause.

“…something else may find you.”

Her smile disappeared.

“What something?”

He didn’t answer.

She studied him for a moment.

Then nodded.

“Fine.”

She stepped back into the room.

“I’m staying.”

His shoulders relaxed slightly.

And for the first time since she’d arrived in Hell…

she wondered if the castle wasn’t keeping her prisoner.

Maybe it was keeping everything else away from her.

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