Chapter 94

Sunlight filtered through the treetops, illuminating the wide awning of the house before anything else was visible from the path. Kit rode into what could be considered a clearing, compared to the rest of the thick forest, though it was still overrun with weeds and vines. She imagined at one time this was a yard—one where children played, where dogs chased rabbits unfortunate enough to come out of the forest too near them, where a mother shouted dinner was on the table.

The house itself was rather large as manor houses went, or else it had been. Kit had never seen it intact, before the charred remains of the roof in the back brought down a good portion of the second story. Compared to the mammoth castle she’d lived in her entire life, the building was small, but she’d seen many cottages in the villages nearby, including one inside of the castle walls and in Eastbury, and she knew whomever had owned this place had been incredibly wealthy at one time.

It had been many years since she last visited these ruins. She pulled Belle to a stop near a tree that would serve as a fair place to tie her mare, and before she could swing her leg over, Eli was there, ready to help her down, though he of all people would know most of all that she needed no help. Still, the feel of his strong hands gripping her just above her hips sent a sensation up her spine like no one else ever could, and as her boots brushed the ground, she momentarily forgot the structure behind him, lost in his green eyes, a brighter shade of green than even the thick foliage of the forest could rival.

“Are you sure you want to go inside?” he asked her. “It’s likely less safe than it was years ago, when last we came here.”

“I’m certain,” Kit nodded, his words jarring her out of her stupor. He released her waist, but she slipped her hand up into his and started toward the front porch, which was mostly intact, and the door, which had been hanging on one hinge before. Now, it was propped against the frame, indicating others may have come to visit this lonely place. She wondered if the inside was as she remembered it or if her mind had invented the details she could not remember to fit the story of the lonely princess who’d found a sympathetic friend willing to oblige her on the steps near the door so many years ago.

Eli released her hand so that he could carefully move the solid oak door aside, certain it was stable before he stepped through and waited for her in the foyer. The entryway wasn’t grand; nor had it ever been. Wooden floors, a staircase that fit the purpose of transporting occupants up and down the levels. Nothing fancy or frivolous. If there ever had been any ornate decorations, she had never seen them, though the walls were broad enough to have supported plenty of artwork.

She’d never been up the stairs. Eli wouldn’t allow it, saying it wasn’t safe, and she’d never been here without him, not once. The few times they had visited here together, he’d always kept a careful eye on her, reminding her the place wasn’t structurally sound and could crumble on her at any moment. Even now, he reached for her hand once more, standing between her and the hallway.

Kit had a specific mission in mind. Yes, she wanted to visit this place with Eli again, to remind him of the interaction they’d shared years ago, before her Exploration, back when she was a frightened young lady, unsure or what her future would hold or how she would navigate the important moments within in. But beyond that, curiosity and a few misplaced comments had left her curious as to what this place had once been, and she was hoping to find a clue within what was left of its walls.

“I’d like to have a quick look around,” she said quietly as she stepped past him. He only backed up a step to give her room out of habit, she was sure. He didn’t want to give her leave to go traipsing about, frightened she’d get hurt she supposed. But as she headed down the narrow hallway that led to all of the rooms on the north side of the main floor, he followed only a few steps behind.

Most of the rooms were fully gutted. Remnants of wallpaper hung in places. There were signs on the floor that indicated some placement of furniture or rugs. It was impossible to tell which room was which, until she reached the very back of the dwelling. Then, even though the upper floor had caved in here, and she was looking up into a bright blue sky, she realized this room had served a specific purpose. There was a hearth, counters, even storage still visible beneath piles of charred wood and debris from the upper level.

“This must’ve been the kitchen,” she said, standing in the doorway, Eli’s hand grasping her wrist lightly, in case she should try to move forward. He would strengthen his grip, she had no doubt, if she took one more step.

“So it appears.” His voice was even, and she could tell he still wished she hadn’t come so far into the building. She took another step back, into the hallway, where the ceiling seemed sturdier, in order to appease him.

“Do you think this is where the fire broke out?” she asked, turning to face him. “Don’t most fires start in the kitchen?”

“As far as I know, the majority of fires do begin in the kitchen. It would make sense.”

There was something in his eyes that made her narrow hers. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but the few times he’d withheld information from her, or outright lied, she’d noticed the same distance in his emerald irises. Eli knew more than he was saying, which made her believe he did know where this fire had started. And it wasn’t in the kitchen, despite the fact that this room had more damage than any other on the ground floor, and it was the most logical explanation.

Kit studied him for a moment before she said, “Let’s go back to the stairs.”

He obliged quickly, gladly, and she wound her way back down the hallway, wondering if it would do her any good to explore the rooms on the other side of the bottom floor. She doubted it. If she was going to find any suitable answer, it would be upstairs. And Eli would never let her go up there.

As she passed by the edge of the staircase, she happened to glance down and saw something unusual in the woodwork. Something was off, uneven. She assumed it had to do with the settling of the house, and with Eli watching, she couldn’t do more than run her hand across the surface. Since everything felt as expected, she put the oddity out of her mind, deciding to focus on other issues instead.

Off in the distance, she heard a trumpet sound and the thunder of hooves. The hunting party had made its turn. If she didn’t rejoin them soon, Cassius would be out looking for her. Even with that information, she sank down to the second to bottom step, spreading her riding gown out around her, and motioned for Eli to join her.

This time, he wasn’t so quick to oblige her, though she wasn’t sure why. Perhaps he’d momentarily forgotten that should she ask him for a similar favor to the one she’d asked nearly six years ago, he’d be legally allowed to oblige. “Do you remember?” she asked, not for the first time.