11. Florence

Chapter eleven

Florence

I manage to make it back to Adelbert's house without tripping and without more than a couple of necessary words exchanged between us.

"Please follow me to my study."

Oh look, he speaks in full sentences.

He wasn't very talkative before, but he was especially sullen—even by his own standards—on the walk. Where before, I thought his steps were light, on the way back it almost seemed like he was restraining himself from full-on stomping through the forest.

Once through the door, I keep a few paces behind Adelbert, waiting for him to set down his stack of books. The two books in my arms are digging into my skin, and I shift as I wait for him to move aside so I can set mine on the ornate desk. The ancient books are written in a beautifully elegant script I could only wish to read, and I assume it must be Elvish.

Tracing a finger along the title, I shore myself up and ask, "Is everything alright?"

Adelbert scoffs. "Of course not. If everything was ‘alright' then you wouldn't be here, would you?"

Ouch.

My head rears back and I suck in an audible breath, my eyes blinking furiously. I'm struck speechless.

Shaking his head, he lets out an exasperated sigh and runs a hand through his hair, slightly tugging on it at the end.

"My apologies. That was harsher than I intended. I'm just under a lot of pressure right now. But it's no excuse for speaking to you like that."

"I understand. I'll… um…" I swallow and blink against the burning sensation in my eyes. "I'll let you get to your work. Would it be alright if I sit in the garden?" I squeak out.

"Florence." My name holds more emotion than I've heard from Adelbert since we met.

I tuck my hair behind my ear and will a smile to my face.

"I don't want to disturb you. Maybe we can measure the limit around the house, and then I can wait outside without bothering you any further."

Adelbert's lips press into a flat line and a muscle jumps in his jaw.

"I shall remain in this room all day. We can measure the distance from here, but it should be all the way to the tree line. Come."

Adelbert pops open a drawer on an antique bureau in the corner and pockets some type of fabric before marching toward the front door.

Once again, I find myself trailing behind him as we make our way through the house I have yet to explore.

The house is an old three-story manor and looks like someone else had decorated it, unless Adelbert has an interest in what Dede would call "old-money chic." Wooden floors, high ceilings, and with antique paintings lining the walls, I think it's okay to say that he's most likely inherited it and hasn't bothered to change much from the previous owner.

Not like I'm going to be asking him such personal questions anytime soon.

We exit into the now-bright morning and I breathe in the fresh forest air, already feeling better after our little exchange.

Adelbert comes to a stop in front of his study window on the side of the house.

"Our bond is not as strong as Everett and Sadie's. If you go beyond the hundred-yard limit it should not have such severe effects as the sensations she experienced on the island. I would still like to take precautions and minimize any discomfort either of us could experience."

I nod. "That makes sense."

"Please wait here. I'll test the boundary and mark out a perimeter for you."

Without waiting for a response from me, his long legs eat up the distance to the edge of the forest, his hands flexing at his sides.

My eyes track him as he slows down and nears the tree line. I bring my hair over my shoulder to braid the length, the movement familiar and soothing to me, and I start humming a song in the hopes that it will lift my mood.

I'm trying to give Adelbert some grace, but how he spoke to me earlier was incredibly hurtful. It's not like I chose to be here. It's fate, or "the fates" as he calls it, playing tricks on us and binding us to each other.

Confrontation makes me extremely uncomfortable and I try to avoid it at all costs, but the comebacks I have for him are lying on the tip of my tongue. I really wanted to give him a piece of my mind but that's not going to help anyone. It will probably just aggravate his feelings toward me. Best to just stay out of each other's way for the time being and wait for this all to blow over.

Dede has always been the one to speak her mind and enjoys having all the attention trained on her. I don't like being in the limelight, and just the thought of it sends a shiver racing down my spine and cuts off my humming.

"I am approximately ninety yards from my study now." Adelbert projects his voice over the clearing around his house and I stand a little straighter. "I shall proceed slowly from here. Please call out if you experience any discomfort."

I raise one hand and give him a thumbs-up I'm sure he'll see, knowing my voice does not have the same strength as his.

Unsure of why it surprises me, but Adelbert turns his body, gaze concentrated on me as he cautiously walks backward into the tree line.

My arms drop to my sides and my brow furrows at this move. Is he being… considerate? Caring?

A couple of paces later, a gentle pressure pushes against me from behind, and I arch my back as the sensation grows stronger. It must be the bond guiding me toward Adelbert, and I lift both my hands to indicate that he should stop.

"Did you feel that?" I try to ask across the long distance.

"Somewhat. Please remain there."

Adelbert turns to the tree and ties some kind of material around a long limb. He proceeds to walk in a wide radius around the clearing and every so often stops to tie another ribbon to a tree, marking out the distance within the boundary from the house.

I follow him with my eyes throughout the whole process, and never experience that pressure from the bond again.

Dede was practically pulled out of her seat and across the room when Everett exceeded the hundred-yard distance limit, which only serves to reinforce Adelbert's stance that he and I should never have physical contact, or we'd suffer similar consequences.

I almost want to agree. Watching my sister look so scared with everyone hovering around her, not knowing what's happening, was awful. But the moment Everett stepped up and tilted her chin toward him, I could see so much tenderness between them, and I knew my sister was in safe hands. If Dede had to be bonded to anyone, I'm happy that it's Everett.

I swallow against the slight stab of envy at having someone so instantly dedicated to ensuring your comfort and happiness. Instead, I focus on the lovely trees surrounding the house.

"All done. Please stay within the demarcated area while I remain in my study. It will be most unpleasant for either or both of us should you venture beyond those marked trees."

"I'll be careful," I promise. Trying to lighten the mood, I add, "And I love the pretty ribbons. I didn't know you were a ribbon kind of guy."

If looks could kill…

"They were my grandmother's."

"Do I want to know why you have your grandmother's ribbons?"

Adelbert cocks his neck to the side, making his joints crackle and pop, and he rolls his lips between his teeth before he finally speaks.

"The house belonged to my late grandmother. Some of her things have remained since I have become the sole resident on the estate."

"Oh no. I'm so sorry for your loss." I reach a hand forward to comfort him and Adelbert jumps out of the way.

Eyes wide and breathing hard, Adelbert hisses, "Could you be more careful?"

"I—"

"I think this is enough for today. Please help yourself to coffee and food in the kitchen. I'll be in my study."

Like a popped balloon, hurt pricks any of the optimism I had stored up for the day, and my good vibes slowly leak out. My shoulders deflate and I bite my tongue, disappointed in myself. Disappointed in Adelbert.

Surely he knew it was a mistake with good intentions behind it?

With a final nod, Adelbert whips around on his heel and heads inside while I mentally berate myself.

I'm usually more careful with my actions, but with Adelbert, the urge to comfort or touch him is so strong that I become clumsy and seem to do or say the wrong things, inadvertently making him more annoyed with me than he would be if I just stayed invisible.

I nod as I resolve to become just that, vowing to myself not to bother him anymore.

I'll give him all the space he needs while he figures out a way for me to go home. I'll do my own thing and stay out of his way. I'm already encroaching on his space. No need to make myself a burden to him on top of it.