Page 86 of Love at First Fright

I swallowed down the do you promise that wanted to escape and nodded instead.

“Um… if you’re heading into town anyway…” I trailed off.

“Yes?”

“Well, I wondered if you could grab some stuff for me. For us.”

Charlie’s forehead wrinkled. “Some… stuff?”

Giddy excitement bubbled up. I’d never had this opportunity before. Someone who would talk to me, and even leave the grounds to fetch me things.

“Well, for starters, books! Anything you can find! Preferably stuff Lady Grimthorne won’t get too attached to. And oh! Chess pieces so we can play again. We’re missing a white knight and two black pawns. But maybe just buy another whole set? Then, some pencils and paper, maybe colouring pencils—the twins might like those. Stop them digging up dead animals in the garden. Oh, and this might be asking too much, but do you think you could get us a… television?!”

For a very long moment, Charlie stared at me like I’d just asked him to fly to the moon and bring back a souvenir rock, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. Then his face crumpled like paper, and he burst into peals of laughter.

“No.”

“No?!”

“Listen, I only took this bloody job because I’m broke. I have thirty fucking pounds, Bat. To spend on food. It’s not going to stretch to a bloody television.”

“Stay there.”

I flew back to the house, searching. Lady Grimthorne’s ornate silver letter opener. The crystal inkwell from the desk in the study. A small jade figurine that had been gathering dust in the piano room for decades.

Carrying them took effort. Energy. The objects felt heavier than they should, dragging at me like anchors. But I managed, clutching them tight as I zoomed back through the garden.

I landed in front of Charlie and pressed them into his hands.

“There’s a pawn shop in town. The last owners of the manor used to talk about it all the time.”

Charlie examined the items, turning them over in his palms. The letter opener caught the light, throwing silver patterns across his face. “I’ll get in trouble for stealing.”

“No you won’t, I promise. Nobody will miss these.”

He sighed, shaking his head. He continued walking, reaching the gate.

“Charlie?”

He turned, the sun breaking through the clouds behind him, and my entire being ached with something I didn’t dare name. Blond hair spinning itself into gold. Blue eyes like summer sky. Fuck. If I’d had any breath to steal, he would have stolen it.

Nothing lasts forever, that’s what they all say.

“See you later, Charlie.” I offered him a small smile.

“See you later.” Amusement touched his lips. “Don’t murder Brad while I’m gone, or you’re getting nothing.”

thirteen

Charlie

Freedom at last.

At least, that’s what it should have felt like, zooming away in Brad’s car. Instead, it felt weird. Wrong. Lonely, almost, all by myself in this car, driving in this foreign place.

My hands gripped the steering wheel too tight. The car lurched as I shifted gears, grinding them in a way that made me wince. Like riding a bike, I’d convinced myself as I’d turned the key in his ignition. But it was at least five years since I’d last driven anything, and Brad’s car had this clutch that felt nothing like I was used to. I could have sworn the pedals sat in different positions.

I jerked forward, stalled, swore under my breath.