Page 61 of Slippers and Thorns
She still hadn’t let him kiss her, although she had willingly submitted to him holding her hand, his arm around her waist or shoulders, and other small signs of affection. And even that very morning, when she had woken to find his nose nestled in the back of her hair and his arm draped across her, she hadn’t complained.
Actually, she had laid in bed for several minutes before getting up, enjoying the sensation. She may have even played with his hand a little, and possibly even toyed with the idea of rolling over and running her hands through his thick, dark locks. However, she quickly banished any such thoughts, carefully extricating herself instead so as not to wake him.
To put some distance between herself and the man in her bed whom she was trying not to find too appealing (yes, that man happened to be her husband, so what?), she passed into their sitting room and slipped behind a curtain.
The sky was overcast. Between the clouds and the thick forest surrounding the castle grounds, she couldn’t see the position of the sun, but she felt confident that it was not long after sunrise. Opening the window a crack, she tested the temperature of the air outside. Gray it might be, but the stratus clouds didn’t threaten imminent rainfall, and the slice of wind billowing across her face felt delightfully brisk rather than cold. Perfect for a stroll to clear her head.
Ella hurriedly dressed in the gown that was easiest to put on and pulled her hair back into a quick braid. She was almost out the door when she paused, grabbed a sheet of paper and a pen, and jotted a quick note to let Mike know where she was going. He might not be up before she returned, and he might not be the least bit concerned to wake and find her missing from their rooms, but she decided that it would be rude of her to assume that.
A footman crossed her path as she pushed open the heavy exterior door. He rushed to help her.
“Good morning, Princess Arabella,” he greeted. “Do you need assistance with anything?”
“No, thank you,” she replied with a smile. “I’m just going for a walk.”
“Would you like me to send for one of your guardsmen?” the footman offered.
She shook her head. “No, thank you. I’ll only be in the garden area, so I should be fine.”
There wasn’t much in the way of gardens at Reineggburg. What gardens there used to be had long since become overgrown and fallen into disarray, and the gardeners had not yet worked them back into a state fit for a royal bower, given the season and the limited amount of time they had had. However, wild and overgrown as they were, they were still a lovely place to walk.
Ella strolled down a narrow pathway that had been partially reclaimed. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the piney scent floating on the breeze from the grove of fir trees set near the edge of the forest. The birds were chirping merrily from their roosts in the trees and surrounding bushes. Some swooped overhead, seeking early morning bugs that wouldn’t be found due to the cold, while others hopped along through small bare patches of ground, on the hunt for worms. Dew glistened in the faint light on every surface.
Her lips spread out in a peaceful smile. She didn’t think the beautiful, nature-filled morning was successfully settling her dilemma – she had no inspiration on the question of what she should do about Mike and his increasing attentions, even in his sleep – but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t a perfect way to start her day.
Once she’d made two full circuits of the gardens – such as they were – she admitted to herself that it was time to head inside. Mike was probably awake by now; she should join him so they could walk to the dining room together. The more cowardly part of her suggested that she head straight to breakfast instead of returning to the room, but her note had said she was coming back. She didn’t want to start the day with Mike being upset with her because he waited.
True, grumpiness might be good, given her half-a-desire to keep distance between them. But if she only had a few more weeks to enjoy being with Mike, she didn’t want to waste any of it dealing with his anger and his pushing her away. She would rather deal with him trying to kiss her…and trying to decide if she was willing to let him.
As she neared the castle, she noticed that the air had that undefinable quality to it again. Her scalp prickled as her hair tried to stand up. Increasing her pace, she hurried to the nearest door, flung it open, and rushed down the halls to the room she shared with Mike. He might have brushed aside the stories that Jackie had told them when they arrived, but Ella hadn’t.
Bursting through the door, she saw Mike sitting on the sofa. At first she was relieved, but as she started towards him, she paused, realizing that his head was turned at an odd angle so that he could stare at a back corner of the room, and he wasn’t moving. “Mike?” she asked hesitantly, taking a slow step towards him. He didn’t respond.
As she drew closer to him, he suddenly rose to his feet in a strangely fluid motion that was unlike his normal movements.
“Michael?” she asked again.
He continued to stand, staring past her without seeming to notice her. Then he began to walk to the door, still as if he had no idea that Ella was even there. “Mike!” She reached out and grabbed his arm as he passed.
Instantly, he stopped, turned to face her, and smiled. “Yes, Ella?” he said pleasantly. “What is it?”
“Are you okay?” she asked uneasily.
“Of course,” he replied promptly, albeit with a sideways glance at her. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Slowly withdrawing her hand, she took a step back. “Didn’t you feel it?”
Mike’s head swung back to the door, and he lifted a foot. Ella quickly put her hand back on him, and the vacant look once again left his eyes.
“What was that?”
Clearly, whatever had affected him the first time they came to Reineggburg was affecting him again. Katy had claimed it was magic. Ella was strongly tempted to believe it.
But how did she stop it?
Transferring her grip to that of him escorting her, she steered him towards the door and forced a smile. “Why don’t we go eat breakfast?” It would give her time to think. She could hope that it would also remove him from the unknown influence, but based on Jackie’s stories, it seemed unlikely. “Was that where you were headed when I arrived?”
Mike looked confused. “I was sitting on the sofa waiting for you. I wasn’t planning to leave without you.”
