I peered into an old stone well, ancient and thrumming with magic, like something straight out of a fairy tale. The gnarled rope hung from the roof, its edges fraying and dirty, the bucket that must've been there once upon a time, only a memory.

Back then, I hadn't registered how odd it was to come across a crumbling well in the middle of an enchanted forest. Wells were usually in village squares. But this was way before I comprehended such things. All I knew was that the answers I sought were there, at the bottom, beckoning to me with a doleful tune, like a mischievous siren.

Which meant to find out, I'd have to throw myself in and hope I survived.

But what knowledge is worth risking your life for, you ask?

But don't you already know?

Knowledge is the ultimate power,

And power is what I craved most of all.

I leaped. 

I smirked.

Boys are so easy to fool. Soon I would escape and find my dads. Possibly locate a bathroom along the way. And a snack—like a large pizza with extra garlic. This place was super creepy, most likely infested with vampires, and the garlic could be a useful precautionary measure. And if there weren't any vampires, I liked garlic, so not much of a sacrifice.

He smirked.

Which instantly wiped away my smirk.

I looked at my hand.

Empty.

I narrowed my eyes. Was this magic? I could've sworn I swiped his keys.

"Looking for something?" he said, still smirking. Blade (if that was even his real name, because a sword fighter named Blade? Give me a break!) waggled the keys in front of my face, then pocketed them.

I growled a little under my breath. "Smirking isn't a good look for you. Not very chivalrous."

"Just because we're in a castle and I carry a sword, doesn't mean I'm a knight. Plus, chivalry is overrated. The patriarchy created it in ancient times to deprive women of their power."

Could this boy be any more infuriating? I dug my fists into my hips. "Are you mansplaining chivalry to me?"

"Apparently," he said, an endearing, I mean annoying, blush spreading over his cheeks. He held out his hand, palm upward, as if in a show of peace. "Look, new girl ..."

"Rowen, my name is Rowen."

"Rowen," he purred. The warm rumble of his voice created an image of nights by a crackling fire, curled up beneath a soft blanket. I almost sighed but stopped myself in time. No way would I let him know I liked anything about him. He'd just get a big head. Bigger head! "I'd let you out, but it wouldn't do you any good, and it really wouldn't do me any good." He sliced his hand across his throat and looked over at Malcolm, who was practicing his sword moves with an invisible opponent. Malcolm parried and thrust over and over until eventually, he disappeared down the long hallway into the shadows.

"So, the queen killed Malcolm for freeing a prisoner?" I asked.

"Not her. Previous queen. Malcolm's been dead a long time. The current queen is more into transmogrification spells."

"What?"

"Turning people who displease her into toads. But that's only for the first offense. Second offense is usually the loss of a body part. Worst case, your head."

I shivered. "Doesn't Petronella know that turning humans into toads is a total witch cliche? Couldn't she come up with something more original? Like maybe turning them into unicorns?"

"Petronella is a traditionalist. And if I were you, I wouldn't suggest the unicorns. She might turn you into one."

"At least then I could fly away."

"Unicorns don't have wings, Rowan. Those are alicorns."

"Mansplaining again?" I barked.

"It's a gift," he grinned, "Like when I lost my arm."

Had I heard him correctly? "Did you say losing your arm was a gift? Like the queen gave you that for Christmas instead of coal in your stocking?"

"No, I lost it in a sword-fighting mishap with a troll when I was a lad. But you should've seen the other guy!"

"The troll?"

"Yep!"

"What happened to him? Did he pay for his crime?"

Blade exhaled, deflating like a day-old balloon. "Naw. The queen promoted him." Blade's eyes brightened. "But now he's her 'go-to' troll for bridge duty. I even feel a little sorry for him. Bridge duty is the worst! So many oblivious travelers to quiz and devour. Leads to indigestion. Few people know that trolls have delicate stomachs."

"I had no idea," I said. This conversation was taking the weirdest twists and turns. Trying to follow it was like watching a tennis match in zero gravity.

"Like I said, it's not common knowledge. Imagine what it could do to the trolls' reputations if people found out."

"Does any of this explain why losing your arm was a gift?"

Blade wrinkled his forehead and looked up. "No, maybe I got off track. But here's the gift part. After I lost it, I decided no one would ever defeat me again! I mastered fighting with just one arm. Now I'm the best sword fighter in the castle and have the most brag-worthy scar of all the minions." His chest puffed out a little. Boys!

Enough listening to his bragging. Time to move forward with my escape plan. "Blade, I promise if you open this door, I won't tell anyone that you freed me."

He shook his head, and those dark, shiny curls fluttered around his head like blackbirds fleeing the nest. "Impossible."

"Why? I can keep a secret."

"Maybe you can, but the castle has a big mouth."

I pulled back, scrunching up my face as I tried to process this sentence. "Excuse me? The castle has a mouth? Are you referring to something metaphorical like a front door, or are you saying the castle has a literal mouth, with teeth, a tongue, and dental bills?"

He laughed. "You're funny, Rowen. And no. Brittlebane Castle doesn't have a real mouth, but it has ways of communicating, mostly through a complex system of mirrors, crystal balls, Ouija boards, and a lot of jolting, shuddering, and rattling."

I lifted an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"What I mean is, the castle is always watching. Like a busybody with crumbling walls, poor ventilation, and black mold."

The floor shook, and I grabbed the bars to stay upright. "What was that?"

"That was a shudder. If you thought Malcolm was thin-skinned, it's nothing to Brittlebane. Can't tolerate a word of criticism. That's what happens, I guess, after thousands of years. Everything falls apart. The blush is off the rose, so to speak."

The castle shuddered more violently, causing the large fire-filled lanterns dangling from the ceiling to sway precariously on their chains. Luckily, there wasn't much to burn in an old drafty castle. Except, of course, for its occupants.

A rancid odor wafted in, carrying notes of sewage, decaying meat, and human torture. I covered my mouth and nose with my hoof; I mean sleeve, while the castle continued to exhibit its displeasure.

"Okay," I said, voice muffled through the fleecy fabric. Wow, the costume smelled almost as bad as the castle. God, I needed a shower! "I know the castle is sentient, but I thought that meant that it moved staircases to mess with you, like in Harry Potter, not that it had the emotional control of a toddler."

The castle shook so hard, there was a loud crack as a huge fissure traveled down the stones in the hallway toward my cell. Heart pounding, I leaped out of the way right before it would've swallowed me whole.

"Just don't insult the castle, new girl, especially calling it immature," Blade said with a heavy sigh. "If you want to live long enough to become the queen, if that's who you really are."

"Why would I lie?" I said, not mentioning that lying was kind of my "thing." He didn't need to know that part.

"It's just queens rarely dress like ... whatever that is."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I am the heir to the throne," I said in my haughtiest tone. "And I'm not stupid. Where I come from, buildings don't throw tantrums." This boy made me so mad, I almost wanted to become the queen so I could torture him later. The idea of making him suffer made my insides flip-flop with joy.

"Where do you come from? Mars?"

"Huh? I'm not even green! I mean, I assume Martians are green, right? Look, minion ..."

"Blade."

"Blade, what do minions do? Is there like a job description?"

"Minions are a cadre of hot male assistants who exist to do the queen's bidding. Mani/pedis. Occasional wrath jobs. Yada yada."

Hot male assistants? Interesting. "So, when I become queen, you'll do my bidding?" The queen thing sounded better all the time. Except for being evil and living in a dark, dank castle prone to childish outbursts.

"If you really are the about-to-be-evil-queen; I still have my doubts."

"Okay, so you don't believe me. Fine. But let's just say for the sake of argument that I will be your queen. Wouldn't it be wise for you to be on my good side? Get in on the ground floor with the reign of Queen Rowen Keckilpenny-Brown? You don't want to end up on bridge duty, right?"

Blade chuckled. "Bridge duty is a troll thing."

Evidently, I had a lot to learn. "Well, then what's the worst job for a minion?"

He snorted. Why would I tell you that?"

I tapped my finger on the side of my nose. Because I will find out. And if you don't release me, I will assign you to the worst job for all eternity. And before you say no ..."

"No."

"I said before you said no!"

"Still no."

"UGH! Look, I totally have a plan. And it's an excellent plan!"

"Oh, yeah? And what is your 'excellent plan?'"

"We swap clothes. I leave. You wait in here for a while. Maybe claim I overpowered you."

Blade laughed so hard, he doubled over, his scabbard scraping against the stones. "I'm not wearing that. Also, the castle won't be fooled. But good try!"

I clenched my hands and teeth, all patience dribbling away. Could I possibly grab his sword and behead him myself? "Grrrrrr!" What was happening to me? Was this castle making me even eviler than usual?

No beheadings before dinner.

My new mantra.

"Hello, Blade, I see you've made friends with the queen's heir," came a honeyed voice from the shadows.

"Heir?" Blade gulped, sweat blooming on his forehead.

Ha!

I had little time to savor his discomfort, as a girl carrying a large wicker basket stepped into view, and except for Tyra, I didn't think I'd ever seen anyone that stunning. A tiny, teeny zing of jealousy may have prickled its way up my spine, but vanished immediately when she flashed me an affectionate smile. Also, the look of worry on Blade's face when she called me the heir endeared her to me immediately.

She looked about my age and had strawberry-blonde hair tumbling to her waist. She wore the most amazing dress, tight at the bodice, with long swaths of tentacle-like fabric flaring outward, floating around her like a jellyfish pulsing through the water. Depending on the angle, sometimes it looked white and sometimes black. Like it was made from a magical thread. She winked at me. Her eyes were an impossible shade of turquoise, bright and warm, like a tropical ocean at sunset.

"What are you doing here, Olivia?" Blade said. "The dungeon isn't your usual haunt."

"Hello, Rowen, so happy to meet you at last," Olivia said, totally ignoring Blade. "Sorry it's under these conditions, but soon all that will change. Oh, and speaking of change, I've brought you something to wear for dinner. We didn't have time to whip anything up for you, but I had this in my closet and hope you like it."

A change of clothes and the mention of dinner meant that Olivia was officially my favorite person I'd met so far in the castle. Though she had little competition because all I had to compare her to were cannibalistic rats, a Scottish ghost, and an annoying boy. "Your dress is beautiful," I said.

She twirled, and the red firelight reflecting off the fabric made the dress even more stunning, like a silken bonfire. "This old thing?" she laughed. "I created the fabric myself. I'm a bit of a tinkerer."

"You're very talented," I said.

"Thanks!" She turned to Blade. "Why are you still here?"

"I'm on my shift," he said.

"Oh, I forgot, the queen requested you. She didn't look very happy either. Said something about a hangnail. Were you on manicure duty today?" Olivia tutted. "Nice knowing you."

Blade turned green as a Martian.

"Wait," I said. "Petronella wouldn't really transmogrify him for a hangnail, would she?"

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. "I thought you'd met her."

"Briefly."

"You'll get to know her better. Anyway, could you open the door so I can give our future queen her dinner outfit?"

"Squish it through the bars?" he replied. "I must leave to attend to Her Majesty."

Olivia gasped. "My creations are never squished! Now open it up, and I might put in a good word for you with Petronella. We don't have much time. Dinner is at six. Sharp. Don't be late, Rowen, if you like your current molecular structure."

"Thanks for letting me out of here," I said.

Olivia winced. "Oh, dear! I am so so sorry, Rowen, but I can't let you out I'm just supposed to give you your dress. The queen insisted and disobeying a direct order can be, you know, unhealthy. This is your first heir test. You must figure it out by yourself and make it to the banquet hall when the clock tolls six. But I assure you, there is a way." She winked again, giving me hope I wouldn't die in this cell. At the word 'test', I perked up. I never met a test I couldn't pass! "Come now, Blade. The key."

Blade sighed heavily, then retrieved the key from his pocket. But in a flash, Olivia had snatched it out of his hand. How had she done it when I could not? But who cared, really? I recognized an opportunity when I saw one! She unlocked the cell door, and just as it creaked open with a groan, I made my move and raced for the door.

And immediately tripped over the crack that had opened in the stone, which I had totally forgotten about. I went flying, but not in a good way, headfirst into the bars. Ouch! For a moment I saw stars and little white fireworks exploding in front of my eyes, and the room swirled like a hard drive. "Aggggghhhhh!"

"Rowen, are you okay?" Blade said, scrambling into the cell and taking my hand, his warmth prickled along my skin like a tiny electric current. Weird. Maybe minions weren't even human. Maybe they were cyborgs? How else to explain the zappy feeling of him? But he was too annoying to be a robot.

"Of course, she's not okay," Olivia spat, kneeling on my other side. "She might have a concussion, and if she dies, the queen will blame you for killing her heir."

"How is it my fault?" Blade said. "I can't help it if she's clumsy."

Clumsy? I rethought that new mantra of mine. His sword was close. So close.

"I'm going for help," Olivia said. "Stay here with her until I get back. Make sure she doesn't fall unconscious."

"How do I do that?" Blade said.

"Just keep talking. Your voice will annoy her so much, she won't be able to rest."

Blade rolled his eyes at her. Once Olivia had left, Blade squeezed my hand with his warm, calloused fingers. "Don't die, okay?"

"I'll do my best," I said. The pain in my head had already begun to dissipate. The room stopped spinning. And I looked into Blade's dark eyes, surrounded by thick, wet lashes. Was he actually worried about me or was the smoke from the lanterns making his eyes tear up?

Probably the latter. I couldn't hold his worried gaze because a lump started forming in my throat. I looked away and noticed the open door!

Olivia hadn't closed it all the way, and she left the key in the lock!

I sprang up and rushed for the door, this time leaping easily over the crack. By the time Blade realized what had happened, I was already slamming it shut and turning the key.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Blade said.

"Passing my test," I replied. I felt a little bad about what might happen to him when he didn't fix the queen's hangnail, but if it was between him getting punished or freeing myself, well, I had to do it. Plus, he deserved it for the mansplaining.

"You can't leave me in here."

"It's for your own good. This way, the queen will know you didn't release me on purpose."

"How thoughtful of you."

"I try," I said.

"I guess you really are an evil queen. Don't know why I ever doubted it," he said, and the words stung.

I scooped up the basket containing my dinner dress and went on a search for a bathroom, as my bladder was about to burst. Blade's irritating insults dimmed as I sprinted down the eternal hall, my tennis shoes slapping hard against the worn stones.

Hello, my dear dear readers. I am very sorry about the delay in getting this chapter posted. This holiday season has been extremely difficult. But now I'm back and will post new chapters every Friday. I hope you enjoyed this one! Don't forget all the voting and stuff!

Dedicating this chapter to another great Wattpad friend, Zoe_Blessing. She is a cofounder of writersconnx, Watty winner, and a super talented writer. Definitely check out her stories. She even has one about an accountant, which of course endears her to me all the more!