Page 22 of The Night Vision
“I’ve never seen so many books.”
Merlin hummed and nodded. “Most of them are old and stuffy and many are in Old Irish and Latin but we do have literature and poetry. I’ll show you where we keep them later.”
“I’d like that!” Tighe also liked Merlin. Even if the older man kept stroking his chest and squeezing his pecs.
“My, aren’t you tall and marvelously fit!” he said, beaming up at Tighe.
“Knock it off, Merlin,” Nox said and gave his ear a flick. “I’m doing everything I can to manage Tighe’s anxiety and groping doesn’t help.”
Merlin gasped and swatted Nox away. “I wouldn’t dream of upsetting our guest. In fact, I’ve prepared a special dinner for Tighe: plain white rice and chicken—sans salt or seasonings, and a simple salad. I didn’t want to upset his stomach and make his first evening here uncomfortable.”
“Thank you,” Silas said as he shook Merlin’s hand and headed for a collection of glittering bottles on a gleaming wooden table.
Everythingwas so smooth or shiny or soft. Aside from a few rocks and a chunk of sun-bleached driftwood on one of the bookshelves, nothing seemed to be in its natural state and there were so many strange odors that Tighe couldn’t identify. The floors were made of wood beneath the thick, soft rugs, but all the knots and splinters had been polished away.
“Do you like whiskey?” Silas asked when he returned with a glass.
“Whiskey?” Tighe sniffed cautiously when Silas held it up to him. The fumes were strong and made Tighe’s nose burn. “No, thank you.”
“I didn’t think so,” Silas said as he took a sip, then looked at Nox. “Where is Tighe sleeping? I think he’ll feel better once he knows where everything is.”
“Good thinking!” Merlin clasped his hands together. “I prepared the room next to yours, Shelby. Why don’t you take him up and show him around. Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes.”
Silas took Tighe’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Perfect. Let’s go.” Tighe was happy to follow but had another moment of panic when he was taken upstairs and Silas opened one of many doors. “This is your room. I’m right next door,” he said with a nod at the other door. “Come on over if you needanythingor have any questions.”
Any questions? Tighe still had so, so many, he didn’t know where to start when Silas entered the room and began flipping switches and pressing buttons. Tighe laughed at the bed and pointed, certain that Merlin had made a mistake.
“I can’t sleep in here!”
“Why not?” Silas frowned at the bed, then raised a brow at Tighe. “My room’s almost the same, you just have…more flowers,” he said as he gestured at the subtle pattern on the pale green walls. “I think they put you in here because it’s more…like a garden?” he attempted with a shrug.
“But the bed!” Tighe held onto Silas’s sleeve nervously. “Do they think that I’m a king?” he whispered as he looked toward the hall, making Silas burst into laughter.
“They’re just really nice, normal beds. You won’t get in trouble.”
“I’ve seen beds before,” Tighe stated, not wanting to sound like a langer. “I even tried sleeping in one in a cabin once!”
“Really?” Silas bit down on his lips and hummed, his eyes watering. “And how did that go?”
“Oh, it wasn’t for me!” Tighe shook his head. “I woke up and didn’t know where I was. I’m so used to sleeping on the ground and feeling what kind of day I’m waking up to. I can tell right away if it’s cold and damp or if it’ll be a warm day, if the ground is soft and earthy smelling when I open my eyes.”
“Ah.” Silas nodded. “That’s not so weird but the temperature stays pretty consistent indoors. You don’thave tosleep on thebed but give it a shot, alright?” he asked, winking at Tighe as he took another sip from his glass.
“Alright. Aren’t we—?” Tighe started to ask if they would be sleeping together but finally registered that Silas had a bed in “his room.”
“Let me show you the bathroom. That’s going to blow your mind if you think the bed is extravagant,” Silas said and caught Tighe’s hand again. “Just remember that I’m right next door if you have any questions or need anything at all.”
“You’re right next door.” Tighe nodded along as Silas showed him the bathroom and how the various knobs and levers worked, despite his tremendous disappointment.
The bathroom was overwhelming with its bright white tile and sparkling fixtures but Tighe was too worried and confused by Silas’s behavior to pay attention. Silas was being patient and supportive but his affection was that of a concerned friend, not the lover who had laid claim to Tighe’s body and soul in their dreams.
“There are more linens in the hallway. I’ll show you before we head down to dinner,” Silas continued but Tighe grabbed his hand.
“Thank you but would it be possible for us to…” Tighe didn’t know how to ask if they could be naked and close like they were when they met in his dreams. He didn’t want Silas to abandon him later. “Please. Can we—?” he jumped when a loudbong!echoed through the house and Silas chuckled.
“That’ll be dinner. Relax, we’ll eat and then you can have as much time to yourself as you need to settle in and get your mind around all of this.”
“Good,” Tighe said weakly.
