There was a brief silence on the line, then a low chuckle. Forget it, Bennett said.
Confused, Ariana was about to demand an explanation when Bennett continued, Since youre so keen on leaving, perhaps I should offer you a chance to escape.
Really? Ariana asked, wary of him backtracking.
Listen to me first, Bennett said. You are in a castle, and indeed, there is a way out. Its cleverly hidden, and among the many doors here, one leads to freedom. If you can find that door, youre free to go.
Ariana, skeptical, raised an eyebrow. Is it really that simple? It seemed feasible to just test each door until she found the right one if this was the case.
Bennetts laughter echoed in her ear. Of course not. Beyond those doors, apart from the exit, you might encounter a few surprises, perhaps some wild beasts.
He teased in a light tone, Imagine, if you open a door and a beast leaps out and bites your neck, well, thats just bad luck.
Ariana scoffed coldly, knowing he was up to no good.
Alright. The voice on the end of the Line sounded amused. Lets begin now. You have one hour to locate the exit. Fail, and youll remain trapped here.
Bennett ended the call, and Ariana jumped into action immediately, driven by the determination to find a way out. Regardless of whether Bennetts words were true, she was prepared to seize any opportunity to escape.
Navigating the right door felt akin to guessing blindly. Each door was a carbon copy of the others, and with the castle sprawling across several floors, Ariana had to swiftly explore what Lay behind each one.
Darting through the hallways and swiftly opening doors, she discovered some that opened into ordinary guest rooms, similar to the one she had first awoken in.
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Other doors revealed rooms filled to the brim with antiques, and heaps of gold and jewels scattered haphazardly.
Ariana took brief peeks and moved forward.
Approaching another door, she paused as rustling noises came from within; this room was distinct. Her pulse quickened.
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Clearly, something was behind the door, though whether it was the wind from outside was uncertain. Maybe this was the door to the exit.
Ariana steeled herself and pushed the door open.
Darkness enveloped the room behind the door, and the clear noise of a beast chewing resonated.
The creature was eating something. Sensing Arianas presence, it directed its menacing gaze her way.
As it charged, Ariana quickly slammed the door shut.
Claws scraping against the door sounded as she quickly ran away, her heart thumping wildly.
She wiped her sweaty palms, rattled by the narrow escape.
Brushing aside her fear, Ariana didnt pause. She continued, opening each door with a mixture of apprehension and hope.
She eventually came across a study that was unlike the other rooms.