“Hey! Don’t judge me. You just met me.”
She clicked her tongue. “Meh, I know the type.”
I saw nothing wrong with not wanting to play the damsel in distress, and I was dead set on slaying my own dragons. If I was going to be with a guy, he’d have to see me as an equal. No way would I be anyone’s little princess in need of protection. I playfully nudged her. “Whatever.”
“Isn’t it funny that we’re both natural blondes?” she asked.
At that moment, I felt guilty and embarrassed that I’d thought her hair was dyed, and I was glad I had never mentioned it to her. In any case, her platinum blonde hair was a unique feature about her that made people notice her from miles away. My blonde hair was nothing special.
“So what do you think of my Eric?” she asked.
“He’s cute, I guess. His glasses make him look smart.”
“Hey! Back off, woman,” she said with a chuckle. “I’ve got dibs.”
“Relax,” I said, then admitted in a lower tone, “If I were after anybody, it’d be Hunter.”
She cocked a brow, disbelief crossing her soft face. “Hunter? That guy we washed dishes with?”
“Yeah, him.”
As if his ears had been itching, Hunter entered the room with two of his friends, laughing about some mischief they’d caused the day before. He was wearing his typical faded jeans and a white t-shirt, emphasizing his lean, muscular frame. He was sipping from a soda can as he listened to his friends talking, all the while sneaking peeks at me. He was so hot I could have stared at him all day; his charm was impossible to resist.
“There’s just something about him,” I said, nodding in his direction to let her know who I was gawking at.
She glanced up at him as he walked back to his seat. “Maybe it’s that you wanna tame him. I hate to break it to you, honey, but I don’t think Hunter’s gonna be tied down to being a one-woman man anytime soon.”
I laughed. “Oh yeah? A real bad boy, huh?” I asked, my eyes glistening with curiosity and fantasies that I didn’t want to admit.
“Don’t do it, Zoey. I’ve heard the rumors, and you don’t wanna go chasing that one. He’ll probably date over half the girls here by the end of the school year.”
“Maybe…or maybe not.”
She sighed the same way my older sister always did, as if I was a hopeless case. “Tell me you’re not going to ignore my advice on this.”
I nodded, smiling. “Only if he’s interested…and not taken.”
Mrs. Duball’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Students, today we’ll spend our hour going over the history of Tiker Castle. This will be valuable information for you about your surroundings, so please pay attention.”
“Hey!” Pam whispered, kicking my chair.
I turned and whispered, “Are you trying to give me whiplash or something?”
She smiled and pushed a small, neatly folded note into my hand. “Special delivery,” she whispered.
I looked down at the note with red ink on the front: “For Zoey’s eyes only…” With a pounding heart, I opened it, being careful so the teacher wouldn’t see it. “Want to hang out after class?” it said. My mouth dropped when I turned it over and read, “From the guy who almost stole your room.”
I grinned, realizing that Hunter had quite the sense of humor, among his other attributes. I was surprised he wanted anything to do with me, considering the way I’d behaved toward him when we’d first met. We had enjoyed our dish-washing interlude, but for all I knew, Pam might have been right about him. His name might have been some clue, and I feared he might just be one of those guys who loved the thrill of the chase. He was so good-looking, and I knew I had to play it cool so I wouldn’t seem easy like all the other girls in his fan club, so I slipped the note inside my folder, glanced over my shoulder to the back of the room, and shot him a big smile. As our eyes connected, I could feel my heart skipping a beat. He winked. He was so hot, but I couldn’t let him know I felt that way. Still, I was definitely going to talk to him after class.
While the teacher scribbled a bunch of dull facts and dates on the chalkboard, I glanced over at Pam.
She smirked. “So you’re gonna date him, huh?” she whispered, looking none too pleased about it.
“Who said anything about dating?” I whispered back. “He just asked me to hang out after school.”
“Today?”
“Yeah.”
Her face flushed with excitement, and she pushed a hair strand back from her eyes. “Well, maybe you could find a way to get him to introduce me to Eric. Ya think?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t really even know Hunter yet.”
Pam held up a hand. “Stop making excuses.”
“Seriously! I don’t know him any better than you do.”
“Not true. He wasn’t in my bedroom, was he?”
I smacked her lightly on the arm. “It wasn’t like that. It was just a…misunderstanding.”
“Think about it. We could all go out together—you, me, Hunter, and Eric. Wouldn’t that be fun?” Then, with a short glance at Eric, she added in a lower tone, “And don’t you dare tell me it’s too soon and he’s just a rebound. Yes, I was dumped recently, and my heart is still aching, but it’s time to move on.”
“No promises, but I’ll try to hook you up if I can. The two of you would make a cute couple, and I’m not saying that just to get you off my back.”
Her face lit up. “Really? I think he looks perfect for me.”
I chuckled. “I promise I’ll try. Just don’t get your hopes up, because he might not be your Mr. Right.”
She shot me a huge smile, and I turned back to face the teacher.
“This place has a very rich history, dating all the way back to the tenth century AD,” said Mrs. Duball. “Scotland and England fought over this castle for centuries. If these stones could talk, they’d tell us tales about invasions, massacres, wars, and so much more.” She glanced at all of us, then smiled. “Now, I’d like to take you to a place where you can read more about Tiker Castle, a place where ancient books are kept.”
“Where’s that, Miss Duball?” Pam asked.
“Why, the library, of course, my dear.”
Everyone laughed.
“Please follow me,” the teacher said, grabbing her big yellow folder and urging us to come after her.
Chairs were pushed away, as students made their way across the room down to the library, where she told us we had to divide into groups of four.
Pam shot me a look and grinned; I knew exactly what she was thinking. “Do I look okay?” she asked, sounding worried. “OMG, how’s my hair?”
I reached out and smoothed out a few bumps. “You look great.”
“Thanks. You know what they say about first impressions.”
Before I could say another word, she motioned Hunter and Eric over. As they approached us, she was wearing the biggest smile, like a kid on Christmas morning.
“Um…would you guys like to be in our group?” I asked shyly when they were within earshot.
“Study buddies, huh?” Hunter said, smiling at me. “Sure. And you’re lucky to have Eric, here. He was on honor roll last year.”
“Sweet!” Pam said.
I looked up at Hunter. “I got your note, by the way. I’d love to hang out later if you want.”
“An offer you couldn’t refuse, huh?” he said in that arrogant tone I was beginning to adore. He flashed his brilliant white smile, and his eyes connected with mine again, just like they had in class. There was something between us: a spark, chemistry, undeniable interest. I knew he liked me—or at least I hoped so.
Before I could think of another word to break the awkward silence between us, Pam elbowed me and cleared her throat, as if to remind me of something I was supposed to say. “Ahem…”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry,” I said, looking to Eric to make sure he was listening, then back to Hunter, who was still staring at me. “Eric, this is Pam.”
> Eric shook Pam’s hand. “Nice to meet you,”
“Thanks,” Pam said. “It’s my pleasure.”
Eric smiled back at her. “A Southern girl, huh? Love the accent.”
“Yeah, it’s really cool,” Hunter said.
She giggled. “Born and raised in Tennessee.”
“Does that mean you’re into country music?” he asked.
“Yep, and I’ve been playing a twelve-string guitar since I was ten.”
Eric smiled. “Impressive. Maybe you can play a few songs for us, because I know you didn’t leave home without your guitar.”
“Finally!” Pam said, looking back to me and giving me a small pat on the shoulder.
“Huh?” I asked, confused.
“Finally, somebody in this old relic of a place gets me!” She smiled at Eric, then sashayed over to a square table, pulling me with her, and set down her bag.
Eric and Hunter followed right behind us.
The conversation went dead for a few seconds as Miss Duball handed us some worksheets and assignments, then instructed us as to what to do.
After she left our table to talk to the next group, I said the first thing that came to my mind. “I’m from New Orleans. Where are you two from?” I was dying to find out everything I could about him.
“Eric’s from California, and I’m from Miami,” Hunter said.
I nodded. “That explains the great tan.”
“Hunter,” said the teacher, “please come and choose a book for your group.”
He nodded and walked over to the shelves, even too tall for him to reach the top. He opted for a huge book with gold lettering, sitting at waist level. “This one looks like a winner.” He then returned to our table, opened the book, and flipped through a few pages.
“What do we have here?” I asked.
“Tiker Castle,” Hunter said, pointing at the gold title.
We wrote the name of the book down and started reading through the other forty questions we had to answer.
“Listen to this, guys…” Eric put the book on the table and read, “In 1296, King Edward I of England invaded Scotland, besieging Tiker Castle and its town walls. Edward and his army entered the town by surprise, then spent three days ruthlessly killing almost the entire civilian population, as well as the clergy who worked inside the castle.”
I shuddered. “That’s awful. Can you believe a real bloodbath happened here? Find something more positive about the place, or I’ll never be able to sleep tonight.”
Pam reached over and slid the book toward her, then flipped through the pages. Her eyes grew wide. “Whoa! It says here that some believe the souls of the murdered were trapped. Looks like we’ve got ourselves a cursed castle, ladies and gentlemen,” she said with a laugh, as if she believed none of the gibberish.
“You’re not helping,” I said, giggling uneasily.
Hunter ran a hand through his shaggy, dark hair before giving me an amused look. “Maybe their bodies are buried under the castle and they can’t leave.”
Pam kept flipping through the pages. “Look! There are pictures of some of the people who lived here. Just a bunch of average medieval Joes and Janes—the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick—”
“Wait a minute. Who’s that?” I interrupted with a gasp, pointing at a black and white, fuzzy image that sent a new pimpling of goosebumps up my arms.
She read the caption and announced, “Says here it’s the king’s son, William Bernard Montour. He has a sister named Isabella. Why?” She looked at me strangely. “Gosh, Zoey, you’re as white as a ghost! What’s going on, girl?”
I tried to keep my voice from wavering. “Pam, it’s him! The guy from the piano room! The one from my dream.”
She grinned and tucked a long strand of curly hair behind her ear. “Mr. Hottie Scotty?”
I elbowed her in the ribs, embarrassed, especially with Hunter sitting so close.
Her eyes lit up as she nudged me. “Well? Is that who you’re talking about or what?”
I gave her a small nod, insinuating she was on track.
Pam shook her head. “If that’s the case, the guy you saw has been dead for centuries.”
Hunter arched a brow. “Huh? You saw this dude in a dream or something?”
“Only one dream,” I said. Realizing there was no use hiding it, I went on to explain the entire story to Hunter and Eric. I braced myself for them to crack up in laughter, but neither of them did.
“That’s freaky. And you say you found your locket and some candle wax the next day?” Hunter asked.
“Yes.”
“Maybe the book is right about the restless spirits. Do you guys think this place could be…haunted?”
“I dunno,” I said, shrugging. “Is there anything in there about a woman named Victoria?”
Pam turned a few pages. “Here’s something about a Queen Victoria, the king’s second wife, but they had no children.” She held up the book. “There’s a picture of her.”
I stared at the woman in a Victorian gown, her hair pinned up in an elaborate bun and adorned with a huge diamond crown. I envied her mysterious beauty. She had huge, intimidating, dark eyes, high cheekbones, and full lips, and I was sure the men of her time worshipped her.
“Has Queen Victoria been raiding your dreams too?” Pam asked.
“No,” I said, “but the Scottish guy mentioned her name, as if he was talking to her, even though I didn’t see her. I thought he was talking to me at first, but then he called me by my real name. I’m not sure what it all means, if anything.”
“Meh, I think it just means jetlag and too little sleep,” Pam said, trying to dismiss it.
“Okay, students,” Miss Duvall said, “class is dismissed for today. I’ll see you tomorrow, bright and early.”
Hunter flung his backpack over his shoulder. “Well, you ready?”
“Sure,” I said. “What can we do.”
“Let’s go explore the castle for clues.”
I smiled. “You’ve got yourself a date.”
“Wait, guys!” Pam whined. “I want in.”
Hunter smiled. “Maybe I can pencil you in tomorrow. Just give my secretary a call and—”
She slugged him. “Not with you, silly.”
“Uh…you mean me?” Eric asked, wearing a sheepish grin.
“Who else? Hunter’s taken, and Zoey’s…well, I’m not into girls,” she said with a smile.
Hunter laughed. “All right, guys. In that case, let’s all meet back in an hour.”
With one last glance back, Pam and I hurried up the stairs to our dorms to get changed.
* * *
We decided to explore the other side of the castle, but it wasn’t wired for electricity yet, so we sent Pam back to grab a few flashlights from the utility closet. I peered at the empty corridor, my hands clasped in my lap to keep them from shaking. Hunter’s gaze bore into my back, searing my skin, but I didn’t dare look; I feared I might forget to breathe or, worse, say something utterly stupid. Seconds ticked by and turned into an eternity while I mentally begged Pam to hurry; the silence was becoming unbearable. Eventually, her footsteps thudded on the naked stone stairs, and I breathed a sigh of relief when she popped her head around the corner.
“I snagged one for each of us,” Pam said, handing me and the guys a flashlight.
“Great,” I said.
We proceeded down a lonely, dark corridor, and my flashlight beam bounced off of the dusty armor hanging on the stone walls. After a few turns, we emerged in a giant, empty room with huge crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling. Leather chairs were set up near the stone walls in neat rows.
As the beam of my flashlight swung around, I noticed an opening in the ceiling. It wasn’t big, maybe ten inches in diameter, and a perfect circle. I frowned and took a few steps forward, until I was standing right beneath it. I beamed my flashlight up at it to get the others’ attention. “Check this out. I wonder what it is.”
Hunter sc
ooted a table and lined it up with what looked like a trapdoor. “Let’s check it out.” Without waiting for an answer or any advice from his loyal subjects, he climbed up and pulled down a ladder.
Cobwebs dangled from the ceiling, making me think twice about following him. Blinking, I covered my eyes as dust fell from the ceiling.
“I guess we’re going,” Pam said.
“What kind of adventure would this be if we don’t see what’s up there?” I reasoned. I put on a brave face and followed Hunter up the ladder, but it had nothing to do with me being brave and adventurous, which I most certainly wasn’t. Usually, I couldn’t get away from dark, ominous places fast enough, but I wasn’t about to let Hunter see me acting scared and helpless. So, in an effort to protect him, I pushed my chest out, lifted my chin a notch, and plastered the boldest smile I could muster on my face. I followed him up the ladder, my heart beating a million miles an hour.
The smell of dust was overwhelming. The walls slanted steeply upward into a narrow ceiling, and everything was covered with white linens. Curiosity overwhelmed me, and I sneaked a peek under one of the large lumps and caught a glimpse of an antique dresser. I ran my finger along a gothic-looking metal candelabra and cringed when I noticed it was draped with spider webs. “Um, guys…this is just some kind of storage room, like an attic or something” I said, wiping my hands on my jeans.
“We’re up here now,” Eric said. “Might as well take a look around.”
I peeked under a few sheets and saw more antique furniture. We snooped around for a few more minutes and found nothing of interest. I was anxious to leave the place, especially because it was getting late. I knew we’d definitely be missed and punished if we didn’t show up for dinner. “Maybe we should go back down and—” I started to suggest.
“Guys, come here! I found an old chest,” Pam shouted. She slowly pried the lid open. “Check this out! It’s a bunch of silky, frilly, royal clothes! Talk about vintage!” She fumbled through it and gasped. “Whoa! There are jewels tucked underneath.”
“Jewels?” I asked.
“Yeah, like a crown or something. Why isn’t this stuff locked up in a safe or at a museum?”
“Simple,” Eric said. “It’s all fake.”
Enchanted Castle - A Novelette (The Enchanted Castle Series) Page 3