AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It had been years since I slept alone in a bed. Years since I’d closed my eyes without fear of waking up to a stranger prying open my legs in the night. I should relish this moment.
But my mind went to Fiona. Where was she? Was she safe and comfortable or cold and alone? My heart ached from missing her, and I promised myself that no matter what, I’d find a way to get her back. It would take time and money, but I was determined to make it happen, no matter what. I knew she was still out there somewhere, and I’d never give up.
Resolute in that decision, I finally fully relaxed and let my eyes drift close.
* * *
I woke with a start to the sound of a loud chime ringing throughout the castle.What is that? A clock? A doorbell?
I sat up in the bed, concluding that it mattered little, but simultaneously wishing I had some way of gauging the time that had elapsed. The absence of a clock and the dimness outside made it difficult to determine anything in this isolated section of the castle. The disorientation of not knowing the time was unsettling, but it felt like I had been asleep for a prolonged period. My body remained still, and my throat felt parched.
Getting out of the bed, I walked to a door on the other side of the room and found that it was a bathroom. Exactly what I needed. After closing the door, I took a chance and turned on the light, and found myself in yet another impressive room. It was bigger than any bathroom I’d ever seen, and I eyed the shower with the rainfall showerhead as I used the bathroom. God, I wanted to get cleaned up so badly.
But I was too afraid to do it. What if the sound of the running water alerted the owner of this castle to my presence? I could end up back out in the snow or in the hands of corrupt authorities.
Not worth the risk.
At least the toilet worked. And I even found toothpaste in a drawer, which I used with my finger. I tried to avoid looking at my reflection in the mirror, but it was unavoidable.
Yeah, I looked horrid, like a woman that had literally gone through hell, which was pretty accurate. I hated the haunted look in my own eyes.
Pushing aside pointless concerns about my appearance, I left the bathroom and considered my next move. My stomach clenched painfully, reminding me of how hungry I was, and I knew I didn’t really have a choice. I needed to find food.
I took a step and a lingering pain in my leg reminded me of my injury there. I searched the bathroom for a first aid kit, finding nothing. All I could do was clean off the dried blood with a wet towel and ignore the sting.
Tiptoeing back into the hallway and to the French doors, I pressed my ear against the surface and listened. I heard nothing, but it was at least ten minutes before I dared to leave. There was safety and solitude in this wing, and I didn’t want to leave it, but there was no food.
I headed to the stairs, my eyes flickering around wildly while I listened closely for any signs of life. I was on the top landing when the smell of food hit me. My stomach growled and saliva filled my mouth. It smelled like meat.
Driven by my hunger, I summoned my courage and stealthily descended the stairs, striving to avoid making any noise. Although I remained vigilant for any indications of others, I couldn’t help but appreciate the interior design as I returned to the ground floor and wandered around a bit. The sitting room, with its gold filigree dressing the dark walls, featured a fireplace and comfortable-looking furniture that enticed me to curl up and relax.
It was lovely, but not what I was looking for. Finally, the scent of cooked food grew closer, and I found myself in a large kitchen. It was much brighter than the rest of the castle that I had seen so far, with white stone walls and golden light fixtures hanging from the ceiling. There was a huge center island in the space, covered with ceramic pots and bowls of hot food. It was a feast, and I almost couldn’t believe it was real.
But when I stepped closer, the smell of baked chicken wrapped around my lungs. It was right in front of me on a platter, and something inside of me snapped. I went for the food like a wild animal, devouring the chicken, grabbing a handful of seasoned vegetables, and even scooping fresh mashed potatoes with the palm of my hand.
All manners went out the window, not that anyone was around to see, anyway. It had been so long since I’d eaten real food like this. Maybe years. I couldn’t hold myself back.
I impulsively reached out to dip my hand into a pot of stew, but quickly recoiled when I felt the scorching heat that could have burned my skin. Regaining my composure, I pondered the idea of locating some utensils to eat with, like a civilized person, but the sound of approaching voices prompted me to retreat. I found refuge in the pantry just as two women in their late-fifties, dressed in plain maid’s uniforms, entered the kitchen. Through the small slits of the pantry door, I kept a watchful eye on them.
“What happened here?” one woman asked as they came upon the mess of food. “It looks like an animal got into the mashed potatoes.”
I felt embarrassment color my cheeks, but I didn’t move or make a sound.
“Don’t worry about it now. You know Sebastian doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
I watched as they wiped up the dribbled food and transferred everything to a tray with golden-lined plates. They left the kitchen, and I let out a breath.
“Sebastian,” I mumbled under my breath, wondering exactly who the man was.
I was terrified of getting caught hiding out in his house, but I also wanted to know about him. My unwitting host must be an interesting person to live here.
Chapter4
Sebastian
Isat in my office, watching the live feed of my security cameras. I’d had them installed long ago, but I had rarely used them before the last two days. It wasn’t necessary with the castle in such a secluded area.
After finding the fresh blood in my old living quarters two days ago, I had to discover who was in my home. I assumed it was a common thief, probably someone who’d made their way to the quiet town of Zermatt from London.
