Chapter 14I opened the door and met Drachen out in the semi-dark hall.
“Where did they call from? A telephone booth?” I asked sarcastically.
“No,” he said, giving me a questioning look. “From the gatekeeper's house, of course.”
“Ah,” I had forgotten the wire strung from the palace to the gatehouse. “That's why when we pulled up—uh, when I first came here that night—the staff was out front there to meet us.”
“Yes, of course. Daroga would call the house to let the staff know that someone was coming up to the house so guests are greeted.”
Our steps down the stairway clattered in my ears too loud, and my stomach wavered between hunger and feeling queasy. The loamy earth smell hit me first. The heavy perfume from flowers mingled into the mix along with some sort of gamy animal scent unfami
