Book Eight: Chapter 89

The silhouette of his castle loomed in the middle of the lake, the shadows eagerly gobbling it up as the sun’s rays faded. A trio of stars had already emerged, along with at least one planet. If Zel or Callisto were here, they could tell him which one it was. Mike looked up at the sky as he pushed the throttle forward. He promptly hit a wave and got chewed out by Sofia for being distracted.

Cecilia, who was once again clinging to Mike’s shoulder, kissed him on the cheek in a show of support. He took a deep breath and focused on the dark waters ahead. Along the hillsides, lights from distant homes twinkled through the trees. Eventually, they disappeared as the castle took up his entire field of view.

The dock at the castle had been repaired prior to his last visit here. Somehow, it was once again torn apart, almost as if someone had taken an axe to it. Frowning, Mike slowed the boat to a halt and trained his flashlight on the broken wood. Sofia trained her own beam on the