Page 43 of Castle of the Cursed

The construction is either unfinished, or it’s fallen apart.

“Sebastián?” I call out as I see another candle farther down.

There are cracks in the walls and strange house sounds. I recall what Beatríz said about the castle being in disrepair and some parts being unsafe. It feels like the ground is tilting downhill, but I can’t be sure.

“Sebastián, where are you?” I call, after blowing out what by my count is the 198th candle.

Nothing about this gesture is feeling remotely romantic anymore. The darker the air gets, the chillier I feel. Until finally, there are no more candles.

“What’s going on?” I ask, my voice trembling.

The darkness cradles me like a quilt. Something brushes my shoulder and I spin around, inhaling sharply. “Sebastián?”

Nobody’s there.

“Cut this out!” I say, crossing my arms to keep them from shaking. “Either show yourself, or I’m leaving—”

A candle blazes on in the blackness.

As I move toward the glow, I realize it’s illuminating a wall. This is a dead end.

I pick up the flame and turn in a circle, confused, until I lower it and study the floor. There’s a red rug.

Holding the candle in one hand, I yank back the edge of the rug with the other. A trapdoor, just like the one that leads to the purple room.

Pulling up on the wooden hatch, I see a set of stairs and little illumination. Nothing about this feels safe or smart. I’m not even sure why I would consider going down there when I don’t know Sebastián’s motives.

All I know is that when he bit me, I saw the black smoke for the first time since the subway.

I need to know why.

Using the candle as a torch, I climb down. The steps end in a basement so large that the tiny flame does little to illuminate it. I spot the familiar crimson-tinged lights bracketed high up on the walls, but they too fail to lift much of the darkness.

I have to walk the room and look at it up close to really see it.

The first thing I come across is what appears to be a metal cage. When my vision adjusts to the dimness, I make out that linked to the bars are chains that end in handcuffs.

My mouth goes dry. Why did the shadow beast lead me here?

I step up to a wooden beam, and when I raise my candle, I make out an altar of sorts. It looks like the start to a game of hangman.

Where am I? A dungeon?

“Sebastián!” I call out. “Talk to me!”

A scarred wall looms ahead, and as I hold up my candle, I see that it’s a board with slices everywhere, like it’s been stabbed with thousands of blades—

“AHHH!”

I scream as a dagger thwacks into the board, so close to me I can feel its trail of heat by my eye. The board rattles, and I drop the candle.

The light snuffs out.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

My heart is racing out of control. “What’s wrong with you?” I shout at the air. “Coward! If you want to kill me, show your face!”

Sebastián manifests in front of me, shadows licking his skin like smoky snakes.