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Mayhap she wasn’t gone yet. He stood and hastily shoved on his clothes. If he hurried, mayhap he’d still catch her…
But why? What would it change? He didn’t know. All he knew was that he couldn’t bear the thought that she’d be gone forever, that he’d never see her again.
He rushed down one flight of stairs, then down another other, then across the courtyard into the eastern tower, past the guards and into the underground storeroom. He shoved the door to the back room open.
There she was, crouching by the rock, in her jacket and her tight trousers, with her strange bag on her back. Her hand was on the stone.
She already looked slightly faded, like the color was being washed out of her.
Everything inside Craig screamed at him to run to her and stop her. To drop to his knees and beg her to stay. These were the last moments he’d ever see her in his life. Could he truly not see past her name? Could he not give her another chance?
It took every last drop of his willpower to stay, to not take another step towards her.
The rock glowed again, blue and brown. She was vanishing, like fog blown away by a strong wind.
She looked back at him, their eyes locking, hers full of panic, sadness, and loss.
“Amy!” He took a step towards her to grab her wrist and yank her back to him, away from anything that would bring pain to her.
But the next moment, she was gone.
He ran to the rock, unable to believe she’d just disappeared.
She had. Not a trace of her remained.
He knew the realization would take him like an avalanche later. Like the disastrous news of Marjorie being kidnapped and raped, and the experience of seeing his dead grandfather. The pain would crush him, devour him, change him.
But for now, he just stared at the carved waves and the road and the handprint.
And wondered if he’d ever forgive himself for letting the love of his life go.
Chapter 34
Stowe, Vermont, late January 2021
Amy let out a full breath in a puff of steam. The brilliance of the snow against the rich green, almost black, pines on the slopes of Mount Mansfield hurt her eyes. The day was bright, the sky that sort of winter blue it only gets a few times per year.
She wished Craig could see it.
Every time she had a nice moment, her first thought was to share it with Craig.
Craig, in his green-brown Highlands.
Craig, who was long dead.
As always, a spasm of pain ran through her at the thought.
“So, where to?” Jenny asked, closing the door of Amy’s house behind her. “Wow, it’s cold.”
Amy pulled her sister’s thick knitted hat deeper over Jenny’s ears. “How about we walk to the pub instead of driving. It’s just fifteen minutes.”
“Oh yes, and the air is so fresh. Bites my ass really nicely.”
Amy laughed. “Oh, come on. Don’t be a drama queen.”
Jenny chuckled. “I only arrived yesterday. Let me get used to this cold. Are you sure this is the lowest temperature possible?”
They began walking towards the town center. Snow crunched pleasantly under Amy’s shoes. Houses of white wooden panels and red brick, their roofs covered in snow, lined the street.
