Page 7 of Bought By the Revenant
“I want you to know,” I begin carefully, “that you will have your own rooms at my estate. You’re free to move about as you wish. I won’t... I don’t expect...” The words stick in my throat. “You need not fear unwanted attention from me.”
Relief washes over her face, and it stings, but I hide it. Of course she doesn’t want anything to do with me. Does that mean I regret buying her? No. I’ve just met her, and all I know about her is her name and her profession, and that she’s beautiful, and strong, and fearless, and if I can, I will save her over and over and protect her from everything that’s evil in the world.
“What will you expect of me, then?” she asks.
“Company, perhaps. Conversation.” I admit this with some difficulty. “I have lived alone for a very long time.”
There’s curiosity in her gaze as she studies me. I think I feel myself blushing. Is this even possible? I don’t think I’ve ever blushed in my impossibly long life. Her eyes move to the book on medicinal herbs I purchased at the market, now resting on the seat beside me.
“You’re interested in herbal medicine?”
“I find the subject fascinating,” I reply, seizing the opportunity for real conversation. “The natural world contains so many remedies we’ve barely begun to understand.”
“I was taught by my mother,” she offers. “She knew how to use plants for healing that others thought were just weeds.”
“I have extensive gardens at my estate,” I tell her. “Though they’ve fallen into disrepair recently. You’re welcome to collect or grow whatever you wish there.”
For a moment, genuine interest lights her eyes before caution returns. Still, it’s progress, the first hint that our arrangement might evolve beyond just protection. We have something in common, and I’ll cling to it.
The carriage slows, then stops with a hard lurch. Amity tenses, her hand disappearing under the folds of my cloak to reach forsomething in the bag at her waist. We wait in silence. I hear her breathing speed up, becoming shallow and fast in the small space. I lift my fist and bang it against the ceiling, the sound echoing through the wooden frame.
“Olaf! What’s happening?”
“Blocked road, sir,” comes the muffled reply from above. “Large tree down across the path. Can’t get around it.”
Amity and I look at each other. I see her mind working, assessing this new potential threat.
“Wait here,” I tell her, noting how her fingers tighten around whatever she’s hiding beneath the cloak. “I’ll see what’s happened.”
She nods once, her movement stiff. As I turn to exit, I see her shift her hand further behind her back and wonder what weapon she carries. Outside, I find a massive tree has indeed fallen across the road. Two other carriages with human travelers are waiting, not knowing what to do. As I approach, the humans back away, their faces changing from annoyance to horror when they see me. I ignore them and study the tree – huge and heavy, but I can move it. Without saying a word, I position myself at the trunk and grip it firmly. The stitches in my arms pull and stretch as I lift. The wood groans and creaks as I heave it aside, clearing the path with a single strenuous effort. Despite helping them, the humans remain terrified. They hurry back to their carriages without even offering thanks. Their reactions stopped hurting centuries ago, or so I keep telling myself.
Returning to our carriage, I see Amity watching from the window. Her expression shows lingering fear, but also something new, maybe understanding or even sympathy. She quickly looks away as I enter.
“The road is clear now,” I say. As we continue our journey, I point out landmarks to ease the tension between us. “We’reentering Luminea now, revenant territory. We’re less than an hour from my home at the edge of Aura Glade.”
“Are there many... like you here?” she asks hesitantly.
“Revenants, yes. Like me, no.” The bitterness creeps into my voice despite my efforts to keep it out. “I am... unique among my kind.”
We fall silent again, but Amity seems more relaxed now that we’ve crossed into Luminea. She even leans forward slightly when I mention the natural hot springs and crystal formations that make the region famous. Finally, my estate comes into view – an enormous mansion built from dark stone, with tall windows reaching up three stories, surrounded by gardens that were once perfectly maintained. I watch Amity’s face anxiously as she takes in the full scale of the place. Her eyes widen as she sees the sprawling grounds, the ornate entrance with its carved doors, and glimpses of the glass conservatory shining in the distance. The carriage rolls through gardens that now show neglect in places, areas I once cared for myself but have abandoned in recent years.
Three figures wait at the entrance – Nell, Tomas, and Fria. They stand at attention, their faces carefully neutral as the carriage stops before them.
Amity looks up at the imposing structure that will now be her home. I see awe in her expression, but also uncertainty. What thoughts run through her mind? Does she wonder if she’s exchanged one prison for another? Does she regret her choice already?
I can offer her safety, comfort, wealth, everything except the one thing I most wish to give: beauty. But perhaps, given enough time, she might see past this terrible exterior to the soul inside that has longed for connection through endless, lonely centuries.
For now, I will be content that she is here at all, that she chose me, even if only as the lesser of two evils.
Chapter Five
Amity
I step through the massive doorway, unable to stop my mouth from falling open. The entrance hall rises three stories high, crowned with an intricate glass dome that fills the space with soft, filtered light. A grand staircase curves upward from the center of the marble floor, its dark wood banister gleaming with years of polish. My footsteps echo as I move forward, trying to maintain a respectable distance from Riven.
“This is the main hall,” he says. “I rarely use it except to pass through.”
I nod because I don’t trust my voice right now. What have I done? I’ve chosen to marry a monster, and even if he seems kind, he’s still a creature whose appearance makes my skin crawl. I steal a glance at him from the corner of my eye and notice that in the mansion’s lighting, the stitches across his face appear deeper and more pronounced than they did outside. His white eyes glow with that eerie inner light that reminds me he’s not human.
