out of here, but it was pointless if a giant door was blocking my way.
I was about to start mentally cursing the dragon-kin again when I paused, staring at the door. I released the handle and slapped myself in the forehead.
It was a wooden door.
I slipped the key into my pocket and pressed both my hands to the door, forcing my magic to seep into the polished oak. I hissed as my magic bounced off of the metal latch on the other side. Stepping back, I shook out my hands and went back to work. I was going to have to be creative.
I grit my teeth as I convinced the oak to grow through the polish. The long dead wood was difficult to convince but it eventually shifted, my magic giving it the life to stretch outward. An oak was not as flexible as a grape vine, but I found it able to comply. A single tendril curled around the end of the latch. I inhaled sharply and gave it one last surge of energy.
I heard the metal gently slide out of the way and I gasped. Unable to take more than a second to congratulate myself, I ripped my hands from the door and pulled it open.
A narrow staircase spiraled down from my prison, and I could hear voices echoing against the thick walls. I pulled the door shut behind me and crept down the steps.
When I emerged from the stairway, I pressed my back to the wall. The source of the voices seemed to be a giant mob of guards in the next room. I heard Levent's voice rumble quietly underneath their chatter. Apparently his princely authority was enough to distract them, as no one was looking my way when I crept past the door. The hall continued in the other direction, and I shook my head. I hoped that there was some way out without bringing an entire army of guards down on me.
I held my breath and shuffled forward, each time I heard my hooves slid across the floor making me wince. I traveled past several doors that looked eerily similar to the one I just broke out of and a sinking feeling washed over me. I was only being led deeper into the prison.
I soon ran out of hallway, ending up in a small foyer from which there where three possible exits. Two had metal latches similar to mine, though theirs were held in place by a set of thick locks. The third was suspiciously void of latch or handle and appeared to be made of the same stone as the walls. I wondered how anyone was