Page 116 of Midnight Wedding

Another day slips past.I shimmy through the passages and find evidence of him. An empty coffee mug with a ring at the bottom, only a day old at most. Blankets piled in a warm corner. It’s almost like he wants me to track him down.

It would be easy. He’s not really putting up much of a fight. I know he’s in the old wing hiding from me when I go looking. We have an understanding: I won’t press too hard, and he won’t completely disconnect.

The only problem is the one thing he needs is the one thing he can’t have.

“We’ve got our first problem,” Tigran says that night. He’s lurking on the front steps and seems reluctant to come inside.

“What’s going on?”

“Just some minor argument between cousins. It’s the sort of thing Arsen could solve in ten seconds, and if he reallywereon a honeymoon, we’d just call him.”

“What if I’m not letting him have a phone?”

“He’s thepatron, Lena. He’ll have a fucking phone.”

I raise my eyebrows, but I decide not to argue the point. “He needs to be available.”

“Sooner rather than later. I said you’re on some excursion without a cell signal, but that only buys you a day.”

“I’ll bring him back.”

“Please do.” He hesitates and looks over his shoulder. I can tell he’s got something else to say but doesn’t want to bring it up. “The way you’re covering for him and trying to help him. I respect that.”

“Thanks. I feel the same way about you.”

“I wasn’t very welcoming when he first married you. I know that.”

“It’s okay. Really, it’s fine.”

“Yeah, well, you’re not so bad.” He looks at me and nods once. “Maybe you’ll be a pretty good sister-in-law.”

“I hope so,” I say and feel a strange kind of warmth come over my body. I smile and give him a quick, tight hug. “I’m happy you came around.”

“Whatever,” he mutters, frowning at me, and stalks off into the night.

I watch him go then turn back to the house. “Did you hear that?” I call out. “Time’s up, Arsen. We need to talk.”

A board creaks nearby. I wait, but there’s nothing.

Later, after I’ve gone to bed, I feel someone breathing. “Come find me tomorrow,” he whispers and presses his lips to my neck.

I sit up straight, heart racing. Sweat beads my skin.

“Arsen? Is that you?”

But the room’s empty.

Just another ghost.

I crawl through the passageways.Spiderwebs stick to my hair. I sneeze twice when dust gets up my nose. I’ve gotten better about avoiding all the old nails.

Earlier, I heard some of the guards talking. They’re big, tough guys, and both seemed freaked out. “Weird fucking noises,” one said to the other. “Like the goddamn walls are full of people or some shit.”

“Bro, I heard it too. Like someone’s crawling around in there.”

“Spooky as hell. I knew this place was haunted. Always felt fuckingwrong.”

I smile to myself as I slip my way into the forbidden wing. If only those guards knew how right they were.

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