Chapter 18

"And this," Felix announced, spreading one arm toward the garden beside the castle, "is the east garden."

Mira looked around. "You needed to point that out?"

Felix lowered his arm. "I was building atmosphere."

"You were doing wonderfully."

"I don't like your tone."

"You'll get used to it."

I laughed. Will walked a few steps ahead of us, stopping every few feet to inspect something along the path — a beetle, a strange leaf, a crack in the stone that apparently deserved careful study. Asta had attached herself to my side and was growing steadily more impatient with Felix's version of a castle tour.

He pointed toward a narrow path disappearing around the side of the building. "That leads to the western gardens. And if you keep going past them, there's an observation platform higher up the hill."

Mira glanced at him. "Observation platform?"

"For the stars. The view is beautiful at night." His eyes moved to