“The arm and the ankle are the same. I don’t feel any pain.” I cleared my throat, pulling up my sleeve.
He kept his arms behind his back as he scanned the wound. “It looks fine. No ugly reactions then.”
Reagan resumed his walk, and I followed.
“I haven’t thanked you. For saving my life.” Nor did I know if I should, since it seemed he’d only done so by a judge’s order.
He glanced over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. “Are you just pointing it out or actually thanking me?”
I blinked. Slowly. “Thanking you. For that, and for asking Finn to attend the fair for me.”
He came to a halt, face stunned, and I let out a breath so I wouldn’t show him my annoyance in the most obvious way.
“Zara’ll wake from the dead,” he said, actually seeming surprised. Whatever that meant. “You’re welcome, Jane Darling.”
There. I’d shown my gratitude, even though I thought the words might be clogged in my throat.
My attention drifted to this part of the castle, with far larger rooms and hallways, less frequented than the other spaces.
“This place is enormous,” I murmured as we entered a vast hall, its grandeur amplified by double staircases sweeping upward to the floors above. Ancient, yet bathed in the bright daylight spilling through the windows. To live here...Perhaps we wouldn’t even cross paths as often.
“You worked in a bookshop then?” he asked, clearly piecing it together from our earlier conversation.
Perhaps now he would pick up where Finnegan had left off, trying to pry into my motives for trespassing on his land. If the fair wasn’t proof that I had no intention of being here, I didn’t know what was. And in any case, I had no reason to lie.
“Yes, a small one.” Pember & Quill now felt like a distant reality. I would not return from the one-month leave I took for the fair. It was for the best, I supposed, considering I would take over Father’s business. Joy would be suspicious if she discovered that I’d never given them my notice, but she didn’t know anyone there. They’d probably send my final pay cheque by post, which shouldn’t raise any alarms.
“What do humans like to read?” His tone was neutral, devoid of emotion.
My brows furrowed at the unexpected question, and I wondered if he was trying to lower my guard. “I can’t speak for all humans, but I mostly read mysteries. Sometimes, romances.”
“So you like romances?” he drawled.
I shrugged. “You brought me here to ask about my job?”
“Sure. I’m a curious person,” he replied, and actually smiled. A cryptic gesture, designed to unsettle me. He pressed on with another question. “What is your father’s illness?”
I heaved a breath. “He deals with chronic blood sugar imbalances. It’s been getting worse lately.” I watched that previous smile fade.
“What symptoms is he experiencing?”
“Pain in his leg sometimes, but mostly fatigue.”And that numbness now.
“Are you and your sister attending to his health?”
I wasn’t sure what had prompted this line of questioning, but I had no objection to answering. If anything, it might help him understand why I was so intent on returning to my family. Perhaps...I would really have to stay here. And if I did, with no other way out, I wouldn’t hesitate or let pride stop me from asking for help if it came to that.
“He has a physician in our town, but on a daily basis, yes. Joy and I manage his care. Well, she’s managing it at the moment.” I noticed a brief furrow in his brow before it vanished. He was listening intently. Maybe he wasn’t as indifferent as I’d thought.
“If you think they need anything, go to Cerridwen or Finnegan,” Reagan said. “They can make sure any resources are sent to them.”
In other words, don’t botherhim. Noted. It was about as much support as I could hope for from him, I supposed, and still, it caught me off guard.
My gaze lingered on him as we reached the end of the hallway and stopped in front of what seemed to be just a plain wall. Reagan placed his palm on it and waited.
Gradually, straight lines appeared on the surface, rising above our heads, the colour deepening into a rich brown, taking a tall, arched form. They grew larger and more distinct against the stone surface until they fully materialised before us. Double doors.
“That’s . . .” I began, meeting his eyes. “Curious.”
