#Chapter 36 – Accommodations

I hurry along with my brother and my cousin, staring around at the stone hallway that meets in gothic arches above our heads, at the windows scattered along the right-hand wall that look out over the landscape. I grin, because I thought I’d gotten used to the view from the barracks – but this high? I feel like I can see everything, and the wide grey landscape around the castle is desolate and gorgeous in its own way. My steps slow despite me as I wander over to one of the windows, which looks north – towards the palace, towards home, where mom and dad are – And Mark and Junie too – god, how long as it been since I thought about them – I’m a bad big sister – “Ari!” I jump a little at Rafe’s frustrated bark and then laugh and hurry along to catch up. We wind our way up the staircase at the far end of the hall, two stories – which I’m pleased to see takes my breath away less than I thought it would. I guess two weeks of workouts really has helped me out in regards to my fitness, at le