Chapter 3

Chapter Three

I had the strangest dream. I lay in bed as I had done before I fell asleep. All was quiet and calm but for the muffled noises downstairs as the guests were pampered and pleased.

Then a noise disturbed me. I turned my head to look toward the window. A strange black thread slithered through the crack between the window panes and dropped to the floor with a soft thump. The thing was about a foot long and was very worm-like except for its completely blackened and spine-covered flesh. It lifted half of its body off the floor and turned its pointed end to and fro.

That’s when I noticed it. The single gray eye was as small as a pin and was embedded into the very tip of the creature’s ‘face.’ The hideous eye stopped on me and the thing trembled.

My heart pounded in my chest but I found I couldn’t move, much less scream. The thing crossed the rug and disappeared beside the bed before reappearing around one of the posts at the foot of the bed. Its slender body slid onto the sheets but paused. I felt as if the thing watched me for a moment before it slithered closer. Its body brushed against my leg and a chill ran down me. It felt as cold as ice.

It had reached my waist when a bright light emanated from my body and blinded me. It was a warm light but something in it alarmed me. Terror welled up as I was struck by the possibility that this wasn’t a dream. That this was real and I was in real danger. My horror gave me the strength to open my mouth.

I shot up in bed and screamed. Footsteps stampeded up the stairs and down the hall, and the door flew open. Will flew into the room with his eyes bright red. He rushed over to the bed and grasped my shaking hands.

“What is it?” he asked me as he looked me over. Raines hurried into the room with a washrag slung over one shoulder. Will didn’t even turn his head to snap off his command. “Close the door!” His servant did as he was bidden.

The light streaming through the window and Will’s presence made my terror vanish. Well, most of it.

I managed a shaky smile even as I clung to him. “I-it’s okay. I just had a bad dream.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Tell me about your dream.” I described what had happened and the more I revealed the deeper the shadow on his brow became. He whipped his head around to his servant. “The window.”

Raines rushed over to the glass and flung open the panes. He leaned out and inspected the area before he ducked back inside and shook his head. “I see nothing, My Lord.”

“It was probably just a dream,” I insisted.

Will, however, moved over to the foot of the bed. He brushed his hand against the post and came away with something slick and wet on his fingers. Will examined the strange liquid substance before his eyes trailed up the bed. He moved over to near where my stomach had laid and cupped part of the bedding in his hands.

I noticed something move that wasn’t part of the sheets and leaned forward. “What is it?”

He opened the folded sheets and revealed some blackened bits of ash. “The remains of our intruder.”

The color drained from my face. “Then I wasn’t dreaming?”

Will shook his head as he wrapped the ashes tight inside the sheets. “Unfortunately, no. It appears your magic destroyed whatever it was.” He stood, taking the top sheet with him. “From now on you must never be alone.”

My face drooped and I looked between the men as Raines came up to Will’s side. “Do I get a choice of who stays with me?”

“We will keep watch and I believe Lord Allard will help us,” Will told me.

Speak of the devil and he will come. A knock was heard on the door and Lord Allard’s voice called through the wood. “Lord Thorn? Is everything alright?”

“Let him in,” Will instructed his servant.

Raines strode over to the entrance and opened the door. He made sure the hall was empty before he stepped aside. “Please come in here, Your Lordship.”

The doctor stepped inside and Will closed the door behind him. I was beginning to feel a draft from all the times that the door was being opened and shut this morning. The other lord took one look at my face and frowned. “What has happened?”

“Something tried to attack my bride,” Will informed him as he met the doctor halfway across the room. He opened the sheets in his hand. “Do you know what this is?”

Allard leaned closer and squinted his eyes. “It appears to be the ashened remains of something.”

“A black worm,” Will told him.

The lord lifted an eyebrow. “What sort of worm?”

He wrapped the bundle tightly and shook his head. “I cannot say but my bride’s magic destroyed it. It came in through the window and I believe it attempted to attack her.”

Allard folded his arms and furrowed his brow. “This is most suspicious.”

I blinked at him. “What is?”

“That we should arrive only shortly before you were attacked by an unknown assailant,” the doctor explained.

“Were you at all followed?” Will questioned him.

Allard shook his head. “Not that I saw but I must admit I was not paying attention to my surroundings.”

“All the more reason Rose should not be left alone,” Will insisted as he settled his eyes on me. “I will take the first watch.”

Allard clapped a hand on his friend’s shoulder and smiled. “That will only last until my compatriots are finished with their cleansing. They wish to be shown about the grounds, particularly Lord Ware.”

“Why him?” I spoke up. “Does he think that there’s danger out there?”

Our guest sighed. “Unfortunately, his intentions are much more mundane. He is curious to know what sort of game you have around here for him to hunt.”

“I will import game if that will distract him,” Will promised.

Allard chuckled as he drew his hand back. “Then I look forward to flocks rising from the bushes like flies from a fresh pile of dung. In the meantime, I will finish cleaning the travel dust off myself and see myself fit to take a watch over your lovely bride.”

“I would rather watch over her myself for a while,” Will insisted.

The lord was unvexed as he bowed his head. “Very well. Then I will see you both in a short while.” And with that pronouncement he left.

Will turned to me and I shrugged. “I guess we’re both getting what we want.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “How so?”

I grinned. “You get to keep me nearby and if there’s any trouble you won’t be in it without me.”

Will sighed and resumed his seat on the side of the bed. “So it appears.”

I set my hand over his and looked into his eyes. “It’ll be okay. I mean, we’ve faced an ancient monster and won. How much worse could it get?”

Famous last words.