After Warrior’s paws gently padded into the room, Aden closed the door and inhaled a long, deep breath through his nostrils. The room smelled of dust and musty wood. It also bore the soothing scent of leather, reminding him of the library back in Iseldis.
He stepped toward the bed, pushed aside the curtain, and gratefully sank onto the softest mattress he had ever felt. Deciding then and there that he would never again complain about the luxury of castle conveniences, Aden realized what spending a night alone in the woods could teach a man.
He stretched himself out on the bed as Warrior jumped up beside him and turned three times in the same spot, pawing at the mattress a bit before settling down with a contented sigh.
Aden appreciated the warm weight against his knee and breathed his own contented sigh.
His ears, ever alert, tried to identify the usual noises of this new place.
For the first time since the ball, Aden relished in the fact that the broad space around him was free from any human noise.
Finally, his anxious mind relaxed and he fell into a deep, deep sleep.
Chapter 9
“We’ve reached the bridge, milady,” the carriage driver called as he brought the horses to a stop.
“Thank you, Luca.” Isa gratefully stepped out onto the open road followed by her lady’s maid, Blanca. The night air was refreshingly cool, even this high up in the mountains. They had been traveling for two full days, and the bridge meant they were nearing the end of their journey.
“Have we arrived?” Macklin followed her out of the carriage.
Isa ignored his question as she stepped forward onto the swing bridge.
“Is this the only way across?” Macklin asked, stopping short at the edge of the deep canyon.
Isa turned back to him with an understanding smile. If she had not come here every goldenreign with her family, she would have been frightened by the rural bridge as well. “It is perfectly safe,” she explained, “though sometimes it trembles in the wind. Papa worried that it would spook the horses, so we always traverse the bridge on foot.”
As if to prove her point, even Luca had not climbed back up to the driver’s seat of the carriage. Instead, he approached the bridge, cooing softly to the horses as he guided them onto the structure.
Isa continued moving forward. It was a gorgeous night to be in the mountains. The stars, brightly visible overhead, offered a surprising amount of light. While crossing the canyon, especially without the canopy of the trees overhead, Isa could appreciate their sparkling beauty all the more. She marveled at the raw strength of the craggy mountains on the horizon and the silence around her. Hopefully, her father would be well enough to make their traditional goldenreign trip this year before the city grew too hot to bear.
At the far side of the bridge, she waited for the rest of their party to cross. Blanca’s cheerful conversations had kept the journey pleasant, and Isa also appreciated that her presence had lessened the discomfort of sharing a carriage with Macklin. Cam had preferred to sit outside the carriage with Luca.
When everyone had safely crossed the bridge, Macklin coming in last, they climbed back in the carriage for the final length of their journey. It was just long enough for Isa to start to feel sleepy once again, but not quite long enough for her to completely doze off.
Macklin was surprisingly quiet as he took in as much of the old villa as he could in the darkness. Clouds had rolled in, cutting off the light of the reflective stars.
To a newcomer, the old mansion might have looked intimidating. But to Isa, the darker colors of the clay and brick walls were softened by the thick vines that clung to crevices and corners. It was as though the house itself were saying, “Come here and rest. Rest and laugh and play in my walls.” As though the house were a book, waiting to be opened and read and enjoyed.
Even though she was here to work, not relax, Isa was simply happy to be in one of her favorite places. She would not let Macklin’s presence disturb her joy.
Entering the double-wide doors, Blanca and Cam quickly lit a few lanterns, handing one to Isa. The small flames threw tall shadows into the large entrance of the old building. Even though she knew she was safe, Isa glanced quickly throughout the great room to ascertain whether the shadows were a real threat or merely playing on her tired imagination.
The tall entryway was just as she remembered it. The house having been built as an old castle, this room had served as the central hub of activity for the once-thriving community that had lived here. It felt as though Isa had stepped back in time. This was where meals would have been served to the entire community, guests would have been welcomed and entertained, and problems would have been sorted. The lord of this manor would have acted as a small king, overseeing the few dozen families in his care who lived off the land here.
On either side of the tall room, two staircases led up to a long hallway that ran down the entire length of the two wings of the castle. Her family had always used the wing on the left when they stayed here. In addition to the bedrooms, it housed salons, activity rooms, and of course, the library, which was the pride and joy of the Bielsa family.
The lower levels of the right wing housed the servants who stayed at the manor, as well as the kitchen, larders, and butteries.
“I will get some fires prepared in the rooms,” Cam offered.
“Thank you, Cam,” Isa responded. “Blanca, will you get Macklin settled in one of the guest rooms? I can air out my room myself.”
“Of course, milady.”
Isa held the lantern in front of her to shed as much light as possible on the worn stone steps and long, dark hallway ahead. She always stayed in the third room on the right-hand side of the hallway. It was one of the smaller rooms, but it had a larger balcony with the best view of the mountains that towered over the villa.
Creaking open the wooden door, she instinctively held the lantern up a little higher to get a good look at her room. Small animals occasionally made their way inside when the family had been away for a long period of time, so she quickly glanced around to ensure that no squirrels or mice had made it their home. It was surprisingly less dusty than she was expecting. Perhaps all the additional rain during the long silverreign had kept the outdoor air cleaner than usual. Everything else looked as she would have expected it to.
