As Cole leads me down the stairs to the lower level of the castle, my words are only proven to be true. There have been renovations since I last was here. The winding staircase now has new sconces mounted on the walls. Not the old ones that needed to be manually lit.
These have a vintage yet modern vibe about them. They are definitely brighter than they used to be. As we get to the bottom of the stairs, I smile.
I know exactly where he’s taking me. The Black Castle has its own underground indoor pool area. It’s huge. Ian Black once told me that the space had once been a bathhouse. He was the one to turn it into an indoor pool instead.
“I used to love it down here. Kate would get so spooked out, but it has always made me feel … I don’t know,” I say as I lift my shoulders to my ears.
“Like ya were stepping into a whole new world? Isn’t that the song ya would sing every time ya came here?”
I look up at him in shock. “Ya remember that?”
“Aye, ya were cute. The way yer face would light up. I think ya were one of the only ones who got what Granda was doing,” he says.
He was getting us to use our imagination to get out of situations. The pool never once looked the same. One time, there was a dragon whose mouth opened up as a waterslide.
That one was one of my favorites. You had to find your way around the dragon’s body to get to the steps to slide back down. I was one of the first to find the stairs.
“Do you remember that time he had the pool frozen over and we all became human chess pieces?”
“Aye, we all had to work together to play the game. I remember because that was the year Sam came with Logan.”
“Sam?”
“Aye, Logan’s best friend. The Italian.”
“Oh, with the gray eyes. Ach, I do remember him. That was fun.
“All his ideas were fun and made ya think on yer toes.”
“It was all fun and games back then, but now I have to wonder what he was getting us all ready for. I mean, his quests have helped me in training, but?—”
“Training?”
Shite. I’ve said too much. The pool area comes into view right in that moment. My eyes widen and I gasp.
“Oh my God, Cole. It’s beautiful. Did ya do this for me?”
He tugs me into his chest and wraps his arms around me. “Aye, I remembered what ya told me ya would want this place to look like if ya could choose the theme. Did I get it right?”
I look around and take it all in. Did he get it right? He did.
It’s better than I imagined in my head. The pool is lit from within with what looks like candles. The light-bluish-green water itself is sparkling as if sprinkled with glitter.
More candles surround the poolside along with teal and pink flowers. There are bright pinks and rich teal colors everywhere, taking the space from dark and dim to bright and breathtaking. Then there’s the table set for two with candles on a holder that has three tiers, a candle on each.
I look back to the pool and squint. It looks like pages are floating on top of the surface. I knit my brows until I remember what I told him so long ago.
“The prince’s letters to the princess?”
“Aye, took forever to figure out how to get candles underwater. Felt a bit stupid when I figured it out,” he chuckles as he rubs the back of his neck.
“LED lights. Yeah?”
“Aye, I had the LED lights epoxied into old candle glasses.”
“How are the pages floating without getting ruined?”
“Take yer shoes off, I’ll show ya.”
