Free Chosen Sister by Ardyth DeBruyn Page A

light filter down. The arched hall led to a large dining hall. Tables with flowing white tablecloths filled the hall, and all the places were set, yet she saw no one.
    “Hello?” Her voice echoed across the room. She walked up to one of the tables for a closer look; a fine layer of dust covered the plates. Looking up, she saw cobwebs hanging from the windows.
    “I don’t think anyone’s lived here for a long time,” she said in a low voice. “But we’d better keep going, just to check.”
    She crossed the room, glancing at several doorways, trying to decide which one to pick. Something glittered in the doorway on the far side, so she went in that direction. When she reached the passageway, she noticed light sparkling down at the far end. Figuring it was as good a choice as any, she headed down the passageway. White lace tapestries hung on the walls, but they too looked dusty. At the end of the passage, a wooden door stood half-open. She peeked in.
    A small, square hall stretched out in front of her, with a very tall ceiling with a skylight. Red tapestries depicting a unicorn hunt adorned the walls. At the far end of the room stood an archway. While it had no door, rippling blue light filled the arch. Magic, Reina thought. She stepped into the room and, sure enough, a cool vibration came from the light-filled arch.
    Hand in hand with Austyn, Reina approached the arch. She didn’t dare touch the sparkling blue energy. Next to it hung a smaller red tapestry, with the picture of a unicorn sitting in a little fenced garden. The unicorn wore a gold collar encrusted with jewels, and birds and flowers were stitched into the background.
    “Only if you are pure and innocent of body and heart may you pass through here,” the unicorn said.
    “What?” Reina blinked and rubbed her eyes. She turned to Austyn. “Did you hear that?”
    He wrinkled his nose at her. “Yeah, the picture talked! Weird.”
    Reina looked back up at the unicorn. It distinctly turned its head and fixed an embroidered eye on her. Her stomach turned over. In a way, it unsettled her more than the dragon.
    “If you are, you may walk forward without fear.”
    After speaking, the picture returned to its previous position and didn’t move. Reina glanced back at Austyn, who shrugged.
    “Well, here goes.” Reina extended her hand into the blue light. It felt cold. Purple, yellow, and pink stripes now flashed in the barrier, but it didn’t hurt her. She took a deep breath and walked through. Icy energy enveloped her for a moment … and then she was on the other side.
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    Chapter Ten: The Unicorn Sword
    Reina stood in a magnificent hall, but unlike the one before, this one was decorated in rainbow colors, with tapestries and jewels encasing the wall. At the far end a fireplace suddenly lit up, and a table with two chairs began setting themselves up in front of it. Her eyes almost bugged out as food appeared on it. Her stomach grumbled, and she wanted to run over and start eating but realized that Austyn wasn’t next to her. She turned around and saw Austyn through the blue wall. Apparently he couldn’t see her, because he started yelling.
    “Reina? Reina, where are you?”
    “Here!” she yelled back, but he didn’t respond, perhaps he couldn’t hear her. She put her hand to the barrier, but it only seemed to work one way. It was solid now, and cold like ice. For a moment she panicked. What if they were stuck apart? Why hadn’t she pulled Austyn through with her?
    And then Austyn stepped through the barrier. Again it turned purple, rose, and yellow as he went through. He blinked for a moment, and she wrapped her arms around him.
    “That scared me!”
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that would happen.” She kissed him on the forehead. “Look, food!”
    They hurried over to the table. The fire warmed her after the cold of the barrier. Reina sat down and breathed in the wonderful smells. It was exotic food, stuff