Page 42 of Falling for the King

Her laughter joined his. ‘Let’s keep it that way.’

‘Let’s.’

The tunnel inclined steadily, curved to the right and then to the left and eventually came to the end with a door etched into the stone wall.

‘Shine your torch here, would you?’ He pulled out his keys to unlock the door he’d locked last night although it was beyond improbable anyone could’ve gotten in since then, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

Once again he shoulder jammed the old stone door which creaked and groaned as it slowly opened. He shone his torch into the rounded room, across to a stone spiral staircase and up along the empty slots in the walls where firelit torches would’ve been placed.

‘A staircase!’ Kat exclaimed. ‘Where does it go? Another section, a tower?’

‘It’s a surprise remember,’ he teased.

‘Okay at least if it’s up it’s not to the gallows.’

‘Is that where you think I’m taking you?’

‘It’s on the list of possibilities,’ she said with a laugh.

‘Okay strike that one off then.’ He grinned. ‘But it’s a hike up, do you want a break before we start?’

‘Not unless you need one.’

He didn’t still he hoped, not for the first time, that she’d think it was worth it.

‘Watch where you put your feet, the steps are solid but slippery in places and use the rail. Let me know if you want to stop,’ he said moving to the base of the stairwell. The eery sound of the wind got louder the higher they climbed drowning out everything. Adrenalin kept him going long after his legs protested at doing the steps twice in under twelve hours. He spotted the lone door and his heart raced which had nothing to do with the steep ascent.

Deploying his usual method, he opened the rarely used solid door and light flooded in despite the overcast day. Shielding his eyes he braced his legs giving himself a chance to adjust to the brightness.

‘Give me a minute,’ he said and strode out into the frigid air accompanied by an unwelcome hint of nerves that he hadn’t misjudged this. He scanned the top of the tower only ten steps in diameter and covered by a steepled roof. Windowless arches curved around three quarters of the compact space and a bench seat curved into the back stone wall next to the door. Satisfied all was clear he held the door and moved aside for Kat.

She scrunched her eyes and raised a hand to shield them then slowly lowered it and took two steps and stopped. She didn’t move to the edge liked he’d expected, didn’t move at all. His stomach plummeted.

Suddenly she clutched a fist over her heart and spun around to him.

‘Xavier!’ Turquoise eyes shone in a face flushed with wonder that made him feel like he could leap across to the surrounding clouds. The tension lodged in his shoulders eased and he let go of the door.

‘It’s no eco tree house but I thought you’d like it,’ he said his voice full of rust as he struggled to hide how moved he was by her reaction.

‘I don’t like it, I love it. And we’re not in the trees we’re above them, it’s a cloud house.’ Her gasp of delight warmed every part of him that was chilled by the icy wind.

Like it was waiting for her cue the sun took that moment to appear for the first time in what felt like weeks. Shining onto the tops of the trees it turned the far-as-you-can-see valley into a sparkling wonderland of greens.

Light streamed through the windowless wide arches beaming onto them. Kat gasped and ran to the edge and peered over the stone railing that reached her shoulders. Standing on tippy toes she pressed her hands into the arch giving herself more height. Slowly she walked all the way around the tower her fingers trailing along the stonework watching the view from every angle. Arriving where she’d started she spun in a full circle on a peal of laughter. His breath hitched and he couldn’t tear his gaze away. Her hair shone, her skin glowed and the tiredness that clung to him blew away with the wind. He couldn’t remember feeling as pleased about anything he’d arranged, ever.

She turned to look into the forest and Xavier moved to the windowless arch next to her yet she held his attention not the view.

‘I never expected this.’ She waved her hand in emphasis. ‘I really had no idea but I thought maybe a wine cellar, or some ancient relics, or even an animal cemetery.’

He laughed. ‘You have an active imagination.’

‘Don’t I know it. And the only way in here is through that secret passage? Why?’

‘Horace the Third, yes there was more than one of them, built this.’ He slashed his hand around the tower. ‘He wanted a place where he could escape. He’d come up here when he didn’t want to be disturbed and no-one else was allowed to enter. It’s not the most comfortable of places and there’s never been any windows or furnishings. That didn’t seem to bother him as he ended up ruling from the retreat although I’m at a loss to imagine how.’ He paused and ran a hand over the back of his neck. ‘I’d forgotten how peaceful it is up here.’ He lowered his voice almost talking to himself.

‘When did you last visit?’

‘Years ago. Except for last night when I came up to check it was all still intact.’ The annual inspection wasn’t enough for him he’d needed to personally ensure it was safe.