Page 116 of The Unseen Hour

The only thing that changed in the hallways was the color running through the stone floor. It might be purple, orange, blue, or green. Only one at a time, and always a color that mimicked the sky.

Eventually we made our way up a sweeping staircase on the side of the home to the upper story. What a god like Charon used these rooms for was beyond me. There were a few set up as bedrooms, but I couldn’t imagine the god playing host to guests.

“I never rest here. I have to stay in the entrance for as long as Charon cares to keep me here,” Orion said as we closed the door on yet another room that didn’t hold what we were looking for.

And I knew there were times he was gone for days. He had to be exhausted as well as the victim of Charon’s frustrations.

My fury grew with each room we explored.

The whole house was maddening. I tugged at my hair as we shut the door on a room that had been empty except for dozens of the glowing orb moths that lit the Meadow.

“What does he think he’s playing at? Do you think he knew we were coming, or that Death would send someone? What if he’s just having fun at our expense?”

Orion shook his head, his jaw tense.

“I doubt it. Charon, from what I’ve seen, has no sense of humor. I don’t think he gives much consideration to most of this space at all. Maybe it was different back when the deities were more cordial. Perhaps that’s the purpose of the extra space.”

Anything was possible. The bedrooms were the only section of the home that didn’t follow Charon’s color scheme. One even contained pink flowers in a vibrant blue vase. The sight had almost brought me to tears—it was the first pink I’d seen since I left home. I didn’t think I could ever bring myself to miss pink dresses, but I did miss the family home the color represented.

We were nearing the end of one side of the oval on the upper level when I threw out an arm to stop Orion.

“What is it?” He tensed, head swiveling to check the hall.

“I feel something. A tug, drawing me, like when you sing. It makes me want to move closer.”

I paused, trying to center myself. There was that desire to go in the direction of the feeling, but something new as well. Something pulled at my throat, urging me to sing. Surely it had to be connected to the Shade song.

I followed the feeling, Orion at my side.

We entered a room that had the same floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the cliffs that others had. There was the roar of the waterfall outside, and mist and droplets sprayed against the windows.

That wasn’t what held my attention, though. Inside this room was a gorgeous grand piano. Sleek and black, with the lid open and ready to play. The bench looked plush and comfortable.

We’d found our answer.

CHAPTER 47

Icrossed the room in several strides to the piano bench. I sat down, running my fingers over the keys without pressing down.

Aside from Pellix and my family, I had also missed playing music. It was the only acceptable talent at which I excelled and also didn’t loathe. I’d spent hours practicing, reasoning that if I couldn’t be outside or curled up with a good book, it was the next best place to be.

Music, like books, carried me away to places beyond Emrys.

“And now I’m somewhere else, and maybe it can take me home,” I whispered to myself.

“What do you think?” Orion asked, still walking the room’s perimeter and looking around.

“I can feel it. We’re in the right spot. You can tell, right?”

His head tilted, brows furrowing over his eyes.

“I definitely feel something, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

“You don’t think it’s the piano, do you?” I fretted. If it was, we’d never be able to carry it.

“I doubt it. At least, Death didn’t indicate it could be something that large. Although … what if it’s inside the piano? The baton was inside a stone box; perhaps the piano is the container.”

He checked around the instrument while I looked underneath the bench, then each of the pedals. There were no strange notches or markings.