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“You are far too late,” I lied, stomach grumbling in disagreement with what I said. His lips curled upwards as I snatched the plate from his hands. “But I will take it.”
My body clock had changed dramatically since arriving. Only a few days of sleeping during the day and staying awake during the night had settled over me with ease. It felt as though I should be eating breakfast now, even though the crescent moon hung in the darkened sky beyond the window.
I used the sweet bun as an excuse not to speak to Marius who stood, longingly, before me as I ate it. Each swallow became harder as my throat dried in response to his stare. He did not look at my eyes as I ate. No. His gaze flicked down to my lips, transfixed by them. I found myself raising my hand to block his view out of discomfort.
As if shaking himself from the trance he spoke. “I was hoping you would join me for a stroll this evening?”
“Where?” I said through a mouthful. The glazing was thick and stuck to my teeth. It seemed to amuse Marius who hid his smile with his slender fingers. “I fear I have searched every corner of this castle and you will not see me stepping foot beyond it because the threat of those creatures are enough to keep me comfortably inside.”
“Need I remind you that the blood hounds will not hurt you if I am with you. And I do not mean to disappoint but you are wrong about this place. My home has many rooms in which you have not yetstumbledacross.”
I scrunched my face, lips covered in powdered sugar. Marius leaned forward and, with his thumb, cleared my lower lip. Ice. His touch was so cold my lip faltered beneath it. I could not move, not as he lifted his hand to his own mouth and sucked the remnants of white powder from his thumb.
It became hard to swallow as I watched him take his time making sure not a single speck of sugar was left.
“I forgot the delights of food,” he moaned through a grimace.
“You do not eat?” I asked, remembering how he had not touched anything during our supper the evening before.
“There is no need to eat, unlike humans who must feed themselves to survive. For me food is something to busy myself with, but if I did not eat it would not make much difference to me.”
I knew so little of him. All my life I had studied this creature yet it was becoming more apparent daily that Mother and the coven’s teachings had barely scraped the surface of this enigma.
“Care to join me then?” He turned on his heel, extending a bent arm to me in offering.
I stared at the waiting, crook of his arm as though it was the answer to the universe’s deepest secrets. Marius must have sensed my hesitation in taking up his offer. The remnant memory of the dream was still so real.Tooreal.Marius put his arm down to his side and waved dramatically with the other for the door. “Please, follow me.”
* * *
Marius was right. There was much of this castle I had not explored. As I followed him swiftly through seemingly endless corridors and up curving stairwells, I was left muddled as to where I was. The further we climbed up through the castle, the more the darkness seemed to shift to reveal unseen rooms and unexplored pathways. I almost questioned him on what lay in the deep pits of the castle, the same area I had drunkenly followed him into. Was that where his servants stayed, preparing all the food and drink that had been presented to me? I gathered from their conversation last night the mysterious servants of this dwelling had to keep out of the way. Once again I buried my interest, for now was not the time.
“I was certain I had been everywhere,” I said, breathless from yet another climb up a grand staircase to another upper floor of the castle.
Marius carried an iron chamberstick with a single white pillar candle burning. The flame did little to cut through the darkness of the castle, but it did not deter Marius from walking forward with confidence. “The dark can play tricks on one’s mind. I did not want you to simply stumble here so the dark acts as a shroud to keep unwanted visitors out. If I will it so.”
I skipped up a step, his strides long and powerful. “You make it seem that the darkness is a thing that can do your own bidding.”
Marius slowed to a stop, so abruptly that I nearly bumped into the back of him. I caught the shift of his movement as he raised a hand over the flame, fingers outstretched. “It does.” He curled his fingers into a fist and the flame in the candle dimmed. Not because it shrunk in size, or was blown out by a gust of unseen wind. I watched as the darkness that hovered beyond the halo of light fought for control. Shadows of darkness spun around the flame hungrily, blanketing it in gloom. If I squinted, I still could see the glow of orange, but it was faint, like looking through a curtain of liquid obsidian.
“Incredible,” I spoke without truly thinking.
“You are not frightened?” Marius questioned.
“More intrigued than fearful,” I replied, as the flame sprung back to life with the removal of Marius’s hand. “That power should not be possible.”
“There is nothing about me that should be possible, Jak.”
It was the curse. There was no other explanation for what Marius had just revealed to me. I knew he was not a witch, not when my own ancestor gifted him with this life. He was a greedy, selfish man. One that was mundane and lacking any natural ability.Not like me.
“Your silence unnerves me.”
I laid my hand upon his arm, revelling in the slice of surprise that widened his handsome features. “Says the beast that will soon kill me. If anyone deserve the right to be unnerved, it is I.”
He winced, even in the minimal light from the candle I saw it. “If I had the choice…”
“What exactly are you going to show me?” I interrupted. “Because I fear my legs will soon give out if you have me walk up any more stairs.”
“We are close.” Marius faced the corridor. “It has been many years since I last invited a Claim up here.”
