We traveled for another week, with Rosie perched in front of or behind me on my horse, Daisy.
Despite everything she had been through, Rosie was a remarkably even-tempered child, never complaining, never fussing. She was a ray of light against the relentless cold, laughing at how snowflakes landed on her mittens, sticking out her tongue to catch them, and singing soft little songs to the horses.
Eight days after finding her parents’ lifeless bodies, we finally reached the majestic Catskill Mountains.
“We did it, Emily!” I breathed, my chest swelling with relief. “We found them.”
Emily let out a shaky exhale. “Thank goodness.”
Guiding our horses onto a narrow trail that snaked up the mountainside, we pressed forward. The climb was steep, the air crisp, but we found it as the sun dipped toward the horizon.
A stately old house tucked within a grove of trees.
I whispered a silent prayer of thanks to whoever—or whatever—might be listening.
The setting sun painted the sky orange, peach, and deep violet streaks. Soon, darkness would settle over the mountains.
The house stood like a relic of another time, its massive wooden frame perched atop a stone foundation. A large wraparound deck stretched along the front, and two gigantic stone chimneys rose along one side. Greenish shingles clung to the roof, aged and weathered by the elements. Enormous boulders dotted the landscape, adding to the house’s rugged, almost mystical presence.
I nudged Daisy closer, my pulse quickening.
“This looks just like the house John James described,” I murmured. “I think this is it.”
Emily remained in her saddle, eyeing the house warily.
I slid off Daisy’s back. “Stay here. I’m going to check for occupants. It doesn’t look like anyone’s here—the windows are all boarded up.”
Reaching for the weapons strapped to my thighs, I drew my gun and dagger, their familiarity grounding me.
If this were the place we had been searching for… I had no idea what we might find inside.
“What are you doing?” Emily’s voice was higher than usual, edged with nervousness.
I shot her a look. “Protecting myself. What do you think?”
I strode toward the entrance, ignoring how my heart hammered against my ribs. I raised a fist and pounded on the door.
“Is anyone there? Hello?”
Silence.
I gripped the doorknob. It turned easily beneath my hand.
With a deep breath, I pushed the door open.
A chilling creak echoed through the empty foyer as the last of the daylight filtered in, casting long, eerie shadows across the parquet floor. Dust swirled in the fading light, and cobwebs draped like gossamer curtains from the chandelier, the walls, and the heavy wooden banisters. The grand staircase split into two at the top, each flight disappearing into darkness.
For a brief moment, I could almost picture an actress sweeping down the steps, a martini in hand, the house alive with voices and music. But that was long ago.
Now, the air was thick with abandonment.
A shiver crawled up my spine.
This couldn’t be the place. It looked like no one had been here for decades.
Suddenly, the door groaned behind me. I jolted, a cry escaping before I could stop it.
“It’s just us, Olivia,” Emily whispered from the threshold, Rosie clinging to her hand. “We didn’t feel safe sitting out there alone.”
