My hands were freezing and shivering from my nerves and the cold, and I warmed them in my coat jacket. Hunter had texted me to tell me he’d be a minute or two late because Mr. Sapper stopped him in the hall to lecture him about something; I never did understand why he couldn’t get along with our teachers.
The sky was cloudy and dark, and a cold breeze blew through my hair. Autumn leaves dotted the lush green grass. My favorite part was the peacocks who roamed the grounds. One crossed my path, not paying any attention to me.
When I looked up, I saw Hunter walking in my direction. He was wearing a black leather jacket and blue jeans that fit him just right. He looked so sexy, especially when the wind teased his bed-head hairdo around. He waved to me, and I waved back. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I tried to play it cool, but I couldn’t stop staring. I decided not to ask him about the lecture; it was none of my business, and I didn’t want to start our walk on the wrong foot—no pun intended.
“Bird-watching?” he said.
“Yeah. I was just wondering why they don’t fly away,” I said.
“They can’t really go anywhere. Their wings are clipped,” Hunter explained.
“I wish one of them would fan its tail,” I said. “I love the bright colors.”
“They need a female to impress. I’m not sure why he’s waiting, because I’m looking at the most gorgeous girl on the continent right now,” he said, smiling at me.
I laughed and nudged him playfully.
“I mean, if I were him, I’d be showing off everything I had.”
“You’re so funny.” I chuckled, loving the fact that he could always make me laugh.
“Guess what their favorite snack is?” he said.
“I don’t know. Plants? Petals? Insects? Chocolate-covered ants?”
He laughed back at me. “No, no, no, and no. Snakes.”
“Seriously? Ew!”
“Yep. Wanna feed one?”
He reached into his pocket, and I instinctively jumped back, not wanting to be near the slithering thing.
He laughed and gave me a handful of Cheerios. “They love this stuff too.”
I cupped my face in my hands, then laughed.
“Did you really think I had a snake in my pocket?”
“Maybe,” I said, biting my lip.
We both burst out in laughter.
I touched his arm, still laughing. “I’m an idiot, right?”
“Nah. I’d never think that about you.”
I knelt on the ground and held out my hand. I called for the green peacock with a long, straight chest. The colorful bird came right over and started to eat the cereal out of my hand. “Look!” I said, excitement filling my voice. “I can almost pet the thing,” I said. “This is so cool.”
He stepped closer and shot me a concerned look. “I heard about your nightmare.”
Wow. News spreads quick in this castle. “It wasn’t a nightmare,” I said. I bit my lip and stared at him. “I was wide awake and was thrown into some kind of vision I can’t explain. Something weird is going on. Remember when we heard all those horses in the forest, yet we couldn’t see them?”
“Yeah. That was the weirdest thing I’ve ever encountered…well, besides those orbs in the attic.”
“What the heck is going on around here, Hunter?”
He pondered, then shrugged. “I wish I had the answers, Zoey.”
“Not including the orbs and the invisible horses, has anything else paranormal happened to you?” When his eyes met mine, I could tell he was harboring secrets. “You can tell me anything, remember?”
He looked away. “You’ll think I’m nuts.”
“Hunter, if anybody can understand, it’s me. I’m going through some crazy stuff right now myself.”
He shifted uncomfortably. “Well, things shift and move around in my room. Also, there are all these strange noises I can’t explain.”
“Noises?”
“Footsteps, like someone is moving across the room. It’s weird, and it’s driving me nuts, but I don’t want to tell the teachers or anything. They’ll just think I’m making it all up, or else they’ll send me to a shrink.”
“You’re not crazy, Hunter. I believe every single word of it.”
“Do you think we triggered some kind of haunting?”
I cocked a brow. “By opening some chest and looking at an old painting? Like Pandora’s Box or something? I don’t think so. If the place is haunted, I’m sure it was like that long before we got here.”
“What makes you say that?”
I looked away, then met his gaze. “When we were washing dishes, I saw a black shadow flutter across the kitchen.”
His eyes widened. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Well, let’s just say there was this guy I was trying to impress, and I didn’t want him to think I’m nuts.”
“That right there proves something was here before we ever stepped foot in that attic.”
“Exactly. This place was completely empty and deserted, except for occasional tours. Maybe whatever entity lives here doesn’t like the fact that we moved in.”
“We should Google this place and see what turns up.”
“I think there’s more to it than what we’re going to find in all the dusty books around here, maybe even more than what we’ll find in cyberspace.”
“Well, there’s definitely something up, and we need to get to the bottom of it before we end up in matching straightjackets.” He cocked his head. “You said you had a vision last night. Have ever had one before?”
I wrung my hands. “Just one, for a quick moment, when…well, when I met you.”
“And what did you see?”
“Well…”
* * *
I ran my fingers across the lines in his hand, and a cold chill ran through my body. Flashes of light dotted my vision, and a loud crack echoed in my ears. Was that a…gunshot?
Hunter clutched his heart and collapsed to the ground.
I hugged him and wept, as if I’d known him for a hundred years. “You killed him!” I shouted to a shooter I couldn’t even see. “Why? Why did you have to do it?”
“Zoey!” Hunter said, breaking into my thoughts. “Are you okay?”
I snapped out of it and peered around the room, confused. Everything was just the same as before, with no trace of blood or gore. “Yeah, I just…” My tongue stuck to the back of my throat, and I was unable to say another word. There was little I could tell him anyway, unless I was going to admit he’d run into some weird chick with a sick imagination.
* * *
As I recalled that day, the day when I’d first met Hunger, my mind snapped back into the present. There was no way I could tell him about that vision. He was willing to accept a story we couldn’t explain, but I didn’t know how he’d take his own murder.
“Well what, Zoey?” he coaxed. “What did you see?”
“Um, I-I—”
“If you want to talk, I’m here,” he said softly, and I knew he meant every word. “Then again, if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine too. It’s no biggie either way.”
“I’d rather not talk about it right now, if that’s okay with you.”
He shot me a smile. “Fine. Then let’s dwell on the positive aspects of living here, like cereal-munching peacocks.”
I grinned, completely mesmerized by his beaming smile. When a rumble of thunder came from the distance, I bit my lip. “Sounds like it’s gonna rain.”
“Think we oughtta head back in?”
I inched closer, grinning at him. “Nope. I’m going on this walk, rain or shine, snow or sleet.”
“You’re my kind of girl,” he said, impressed. He looped my arm in his. “Shall we take a stroll through the labyrinth, milady?” he asked in an adorable Scottish accent.
“Wow. You nailed the accent perfectly.”
He met my gaze, and I couldn’t help but smile. “You have a beautiful smile,” he said.
�
��Thank you…and you have the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen.” They weren’t just the average blue; in the sunlight, they were blazing blue. He smiled, and I continued as I glanced around, “So…what do you know about this place?”
“Hmm. Well, the maze was designed in the shape of a star, the one used in the family crest of Tiker Palace. Also, the property is planted with approximately 2,000 trees.”
“You’re like my very own travel brochure,” I teased.
He laughed, then led me down a cobblestone path surrounded by hedges. Eventually, we came to a bridge. The view was amazing: the entire palace, immaculate gardens, a large fountain, serene landscape, huge trees, more peacocks, and, best of all, the end of the maze.
We walked to a classical fountain that featured a water nymph as its centerpiece. The sounds of trickling water filled me with peace and helped to soothe my nerves.
“This place is beautiful,” I said, smiling as the sun warmed my face in the chilly air.
“It’s easy to forget about all your problems when you take a walk out here.” Hunter pulled out a handful of change and threw it into the water, then closed his eyes, as if making secret wishes as the coins sank to the bottom.
“Do they believe in wishing wells in Scotland?” I asked. “I don’t see any other coins.”
He shrugged and handed me a dime. “If not, we’ll be the first to start a wonderful tradition.”
“Okay then.”
“Close your eyes and make a wish,” he said.
“Okay…” Of course my wish was that he’d think of me as more than a friend, and that was what I focused on as I tossed the coin into the water with a kerplunk.
Hunter had one wish left, so he turned around and threw a penny over his shoulder; it plopped loudly into the water.
“What’s that all about?” I asked.
“That’s how it’s done in Rome.”
“I’m not sure I believe in wishes—wishes or fairytales.”
“Aren’t we in a real-life fairytale?”
I smiled, and he grinned back at me.
“I can only speak for myself, but I feel like I’m already living the pages of a real-live storybook.”
“You think so?”
“Think? I know.” He motioned to the castle. “What is that before you, fair maiden?”
I couldn’t help but smile. “It’s a castle.”
“The heart of our kingdom. Aren’t those only in fairytales?”
I nodded, grinning.
He cupped my face softly. “We’ve got a princess, and—”
“And I’m taking a lovely stroll with Prince Charming,” I added, gazing into his eyes.
He jumped up on the rim of the fountain. One slip, and he would have been soaking wet, but he seemed pretty sure of his footing. “See? This is our fairytale,” he shouted, meeting my gaze with a big smile on his face. “Let’s make it the best storybook ever.”
I smiled, my imagination about happily-ever-afters running wild.
“We’re here in beautiful Scotland, and I say we may as well have one heck of a year. We’ve gotta live for every moment, each and every single day.”
The wind picked up, swirling Hunter’s hair around his shoulders. I loved his enthusiasm and his charisma. He wasn’t just an average guy by any stretch, and he’d captured my attention from the very first second I met him.
Thunder rolled across the sky, followed by a brilliant flash of lightning, but I wasn’t ready to go inside yet. I was out there getting to know Hunter a little better, enjoying every minute of it.
When I stepped back off the path, my foot got stuck in the mud. Hunter jumped down to help me, but my foot slipped out of my boot, and I fell forward. His body twisted, and he tumbled back as we both fell onto the cobblestone path. How can I be such a klutz? I wondered, embarrassed out of my mind. I’d just knocked Hunter flat on his butt and landed on top of him.
We both burst out in a fit of laughter. My long hair brushed across his face, and he gently pushed it away. Scrambling to his feet, he held out his hand to help me up.
“Um, I need my boot.”
“Stay right there.” He pulled the boot out of the mud, then knelt down by me. “I found this glass slipper…er, black boot.”
I tried not to burst out in more laughter at his most sincere voice.
“It belongs to a pretty girl I’ve been searching for all my life,” he continued, “and I am demanding that every maiden in the land try it on until I find the perfect fit.”
I smiled. “It seems Cinderella really is your favorite fairytale.”
He nodded, then easily slipped on my boot. “It fits!” he said, clutching his heart in surprise.
I grinned widely. “Imagine that.”
“You’re the one, Zoey.” He held my gaze, and I was intrigued.
“The one?”
“You’re the girl I’ve been searching high and low for, all across the land.”
“That’s so romantic,” I said, gazing deep into his eyes.
“I can’t believe I finally found you,” he said, almost touching my lips.
There was something about him that I found captivating. It wasn’t just his looks, but his magnetic personality and the way he made me smile. Nobody had ever knocked me so off balance before, and I was completely discombobulated. I touched his face, cupping it ever so softly with my hand. I was rewarded with a brilliant smile. He was taking it slow, and I knew that was probably for the best. Maybe it’s best to just be friends for a while, I reasoned. If things keep going so well, we can take it to the next level. Besides, I didn’t plan on telling some guy I loved him that quickly. It would take a long time for me to say those three words to any guy, even one as hot as Hunter.
“Come on, Prince Charming,” I joked. “We’ve got to check out the rest of this garden and get back in time for class.”
He laughed, and we continued to follow the zigzagging trail. I wasn’t sure what to talk about with Hunter. Getting to know a person for the first time always made me nervous, especially when I was attracted to that person. I didn’t want to seem boring. The awkward silence was making me feel uncomfortable, so I was thankful when the peacocks squawked in the distance.
I went back to the castle theme, just to keep the conversation going. “You know what makes castles so popular?” I asked.
“What?” he asked, as we kept walking along.
“Think about it. They’re the perfect place for romances and ghost stories—”
“Murder mysteries, monsters, and vampires,” he added.
I smirked. “Hauntings, intrigue, knights, fair maidens, secret passages—”
“And gargoyles—”
“And all the ingredients to a perfect horror story,” I finished.
We walked out of the maze, past The Stone of Destiny. I stared at the large block of red sandstone with chisel marks on top. The sign read: “A powerful symbol of Scottish nationhood, used in the crowning of monarchs.”
“I guess it was some kind of holy relic,” Hunter said.
I ran my fingers across the cold stone. “I can’t believe nations fought over a block of stone. It looks pretty plain to me.”
“It’s been the greatest symbol of Scottish nationhood for 1,000 years.”
We walked past the structure and headed up the stairs. A flock of peacocks sat on the stone steps, squawking and honking at each other. They made this long, piercing uhhhhhhh sound. As I darted up the stairs, they didn’t even stir. They weren’t scared of us and paid no attention to us whatsoever.
Droplets of rain started to fall faster and faster. “We’re about to get a shower,” I said, laughing.
“Does that mean this is the end of the tour?” he asked.
“Nah. Live for the moment, right?”
Our eyes locked; we were lost in each other’s gaze, oblivious of the pouring rain. I couldn’t deny our shared connection. There was something so special about him, and I couldn’t stay away from him, even if I had t
oo. Part of me warned me that we should just remain friends for a while, but the other part wanted to grab him and never let go. My emotions were all over the place.
I wiped droplets from my face. “Seems the weather’s pretty unpredictable in Scotland.”
Water dripped down his hair and face, and he looked absolutely adorable. “You know the Scottish saying,” he said.
“What?”
“Four seasons in one day.”
I smiled. The rain didn’t seem to faze him one bit; he didn’t even complain once, and I loved that about him, because I’d always been annoyed by whiny guys. When he offered me his hand and I took it, an electric jolt shot through me. Hunter was holding my hand in a romantic gesture. I could hardly contain my excitement, but I continued to play it cool. I smiled as he led me back toward the castle.
Chapter 5
Class was held in a large hall with vaulted ceilings. Mahogany beams ran across the room, carved with intricate details and designs. My gaze wandered to them in class, and I tried to imagine what the symbols might mean. I pictured what the room must have looked like hundreds of years ago, with the king and his courtiers holding parties and laughing. It was hard to believe real people had lived in the castle where I now sat, slept in the same rooms where we slept. In a million years, I bet they never would have thought this room would someday be a lecture hall for students from other countries.
A fire roared in the north side of the room, and I swore the fireplace was as big as a small porch. Bookshelves were built into the wall, loaded with all the famous classics of our time. Oval floor-to-ceiling glass stained windows lined the other wall, casting prisms of color across the room.
I peeled off my wet jacket and hurried to my assigned seat, leaving a trail of wet footprints in my wake and making a sloshing noise with every step, thanks to my wet and muddy boots.
Miss Shila tapped my desk. “You and Hunter are late. Following the rules here at Mount Park Manor is extremely important. We won’t tolerate tardiness.” Her black hair was pulled into a tight bun, and she was dressed in a brown dress suit and heels. She could have been pretty if she’d have let her hair down and put on some makeup.
My Haunted Fairytale - Book 2 (The Enchanted Castle Series) Page 5