LOCH MORAR, SCOTLAND
The Past - Greystone Castle
“Gavin, you’re awake…” Paige stopped because Gavin wasn’t sitting up, waiting for her arrival like she had thought. Instead, his eyes were still closed and as far as she could see, he was still asleep, if you could call it that.
Letting out a heavy sigh, she walked across the room to the bed and sat down beside him.
“What the…?”
Paige stood up and took a closer look.
His face and chest were wet.
Terrified he had come down with a fever, she pressed the top of her hand to his head.
“That’s odd.” She lifted her hand. “You don’t’ seem to have a fever.”
The tapestry whipped outward and she spotted the pitcher and glass on the floor. That still didn’t explain how Gavin got wet, but then lightning cracked and she saw that it was raining,
Assuming the wetness was from the rain blowing in from the window; Paige secured the tapestry better and then walked over to the end of the bed. Taking the chain from around her neck, she stuck the key inside the trunk and lifted the lid. Pulling out one of Gavin’s coveted towels, she walked back to the bed.
Sitting down, she carefully wiped off any water from his face and chest. His brow creased as she did this.
“I’m sorry. I know you must be chilly, but I’m almost done here.” Paige quickly finished and pulled the fur closer around his body, tucking him in.
The floor was cold as she lowered down to clean up the mess there as well.
Setting the wet towels aside, she sat back down on the bed, and smoothed his hair away from his face. Even in sleep, her heart stuttered looking at him. She loved him so much. “Please wake up,” she said.
There was no response.
Letting out a heavy sigh, she stood once more and walked over to the fire. Leaning down, she tossed another log on the reddened coals and then stood back up. Watching the flames ignite, she tried to tamp down the wave of depression that threatened to take hold once more.
“I will not get upset,” she said, hoping saying it out loud would make it true—it didn’t help.
Normally, at home, when she was sad or bored, Paige would turn on music, let her creative juices flow, and work on one of her clay pieces. But that was not an option here, so, she settled for her second favourite thing to do, which was read.
Walking back over to the trunk, she lifted the lid to get one of Gavin’s books out to read that she found earlier. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a romance novel but at least it would help keep her mind off of Gavin. She didn’t even want to think on who may have brought the book to him—she was just glad that he had books to read.
Reaching down, Paige pulled a book out and underneath, there was a box that she hadn’t noticed before. Feeling a bit guilty for being a snoop, she looked up at the bed. She wasn’t sure what she expected, but obviously Gavin was still off in la la land. That’s what she called it because she did not want to admit that he was by all accounts in some kind of coma.
Lifting out the jewelled inlaid box, she cradled it in one hand, and slowly lifted the lid, which made a slight creaking noise as she opened it.
Inside was a very pretty dagger. Different colored jewels encrusted in the handle as well as strange white things that she could swear looked like teeth.
A shiver of dread washed over her.
Not liking the look of the thing or the way it made her feel, Paige closed the lid and set it back inside his trunk.
With shaking hands, she walked back to the bed.
Propping a pillow up, and moving the dry furs aside, she sat down on the bed. Kicking off her shoes, she lifted her feet and leaned back against the pillow. Normally, she would have shut the door and locked it, but Elvis was still downstairs.
Crossing her ankles, she turned the page and began to read.
With the cool night air rushing steadily through the window and the fire crackling in the hearth, it didn’t take long to become engrossed in the story.
♦
Shadows danced across the floor in the firelight and a cool breeze wafted inside the room. Feeling a chill, Paige lifted a fur and settled it across her lap and then leaned over to check on Gavin.
His breathing was slow and steady, just like it had been since the day they brought him back here from the Loch.
Paige tried not to think about that day too much. Even now, it still freaked her out. Especially the way the water bubbled upward and the ground shook. Thankfully the creature did not make an appearance but Gavin had been beaten pretty badly by Broderick and his men. Just thinking about that man, made gooseflesh rise on her skin and her stomach twist in knots. She didn’t know if he would return, but if he did, she would make sure he didn’t hurt anyone ever again—at least that was her plan.
Letting out another heavy sigh, Paige resumed reading, never once hearing the footsteps mounting the stairs from below.