“Wait, like literally getting lost?” I asked. I was imagining a young Colton swallowed up by a sea of books.
“Yes. Once I was lost for five hours. I didn’t mean to. I was just so engrossed in the book that I didn’t hear anyone calling me.” Colton whimpered softly at the memory. “When they finally found me, my mom was in tears. She thought someone had abducted me.”
“Oh.” The mental image wasn’t so funny anymore.
No wonder his mom is so fussy over him,I thought.
“But anyway, now we have our own library,” Colton said. He excitedly licked my cheek. “I can’t wait to show you.”
I laughed. “Ugh, gross wolf slobber.”
* * *
Our little groupfinally made it to Colton’s home. It was a sturdy old structure resembling a tower, built of white stone that almost glittered in the sunset’s light.
“Let me guess,” Eric began wryly, turning to Ramsay. “You were expecting an igloo.”
Ramsay crossed his arms and muttered, “You’re no fun.”
“Whoa,” I said, tilting my head back to stare at the towering structure. “You live here, Colton?”
“Uh huh.”
He shifted back so he would actually fit through the front doors and waved us inside. We followed him into an open foyer. Staircases stood on either side of it, one going up and the other going down.
“Weird lookin’ house,” Ramsay mumbled. “No offense, Colt.”
Colton shrugged, not looking too bothered. “My room is downstairs, next to the library. We can--”
He was cut off by a shrill cry. Gabrielle ran across the hall, throwing her arms around Colton.
“You ran off on me again!” she cried.
Colton blinked. “But I told you I’d be gone. And I even came back before nightfall.”
She frowned and pulled away. “I know. But I still don’t like it when you leave.” She seemed to notice us for the first time. She brushed off her long skirt. “Oh, you’ve brought company. I wish you'd told me. I would’ve cleaned the place up a bit more.”
“No worries, ma’am,” Ramsay said with a smile.
“Lady Gabrielle,” Eric greeted, nodding.
“Lord Eric,” she replied politely. “And Matheson is here as well. I take it you’re all up to something together.”
“We’d like to use your library, if that’s all right,” Eric said.
“Yes, of course,” Gabrielle said, sounding relieved. “Anything inside the house is fine. Just let me know if you’re going to run off again, Colton.”
“I will,” he said.
When she left, Colton led us downstairs. I couldn’t help but think that my opinion of his mother had changed dramatically after he told me that story about his childhood. I thought she was overbearing and--well, I guess she still was--but I knew now it came from a place of caring. Even if her child hadn’t actually been in any danger, it must have scared her to lose him like that.
My jaw dropped in awe as we reached the bottom of the landing. Below us sprawled a huge room with books and shelves filling every inch of space.
“Holy shit,” Ramsay muttered, echoing my thoughts.
“This is… incredible,” Eric added.
Ramsay scoffed. “You’re telling me. I don’t even think my packhasa library.”
