Page 79 of Gothikana

‘I don’t know.’ He gave her a look from under his hood, the lantern swinging from his other hand, lighting their path. ‘I’m more of a preternatural believer. I believe that there are many things beyond our understanding that don’t have an explanation yet. Maybe they will in a few years. After all, a few hundred years ago there was no explanation for schizophrenia either.’

No, there hadn’t been. Her mother, had she been born in a different time, would have been burned at the stake. So would Corvina.

They emerged into the mouth of the tunnel on the other side finally, and Corvina gulped in a lungful of fresh, precious air. She looked around, the sky a little lighter than it had been, and realised they were near the bridge.

A murder of crows flew by overhead, cawing at her.

‘Your birds missed you.’ His wry voice came from her side as she looked up at the birds, a small smile on her face.

‘I haven’t been able to see them in a few weeks,’ she commented, watching as the birds settled on the open gazebo beside the bridge, some flying away.

‘I know.’ He let go of her hand. ‘I’ve been giving them treats when I go to repair the piano.’

Corvina looked at him in surprise. That was unexpected. Nice. And she felt like an idiot for having a moment of panic before they got in the tunnel.

‘You wanted to come to the lake,’ he reminded her, walking upon the bridge and leaning his elbows on the stone railing. ‘Here we are.’

Corvina inhaled and walked to the bridge by his side, leaning over to look into the black water.

For the first time since coming to Verenmore, she closed her eyes and opened her senses. She didn’t know if it was something she’d picked up subconsciously that was now coming to her, or something beyond the normal, beyond her understanding. She simply knew it was trying to make itself known through her.

The smell of rot and decay drifted in first before the voice did.

‘Find us.’

Phantom ants crawled over her skin, the hair on the nape of her neck rising. Corvina took a deep breath, and looked down at the water, seeing her reflection in the murky depths. The crows who had been on the gazebo took off, circling above her head once before flying over the mountain.

She swallowed.

‘Will you be here when they drag the lake?’ she asked the man by her side, the one she could feel watching her closely.

‘Yes.’

‘Have them look under the bridge.’

She didn’t know how she knew that. Maybe it was the way her reflection reminded her of that mirror incident in the bathroom. Maybe it was instinct, some clues her deep mind had picked up on her walks that her consciousness couldn’t understand. Maybe it was the birds. She didn’t know.

But she touched the cold stone of the railing, remembering being dragged into this water, and wondered for the hundredth time if she was losing her mind.

After a few minutes of silence, they both returned to the castle through the woods, going around to the admin wing to make their phone calls.

Kaylin exited the wing, stopping in surprise as she saw both Corvina and Vad standing together.

‘Mr Deverell.’ Kaylin gave the man beside her a nod, realisation dawning in her eyes. ‘Corvina.’

‘I trust you to keep this confidential, Kaylin,’ Vad spoke in his deep, authoritative tone to a woman much older than he was. ‘We’ll need to make some calls this morning.’

‘Of course, Mr Deverell.’ Kaylin tilted her head and walked off to the path.

Corvina watched her go. ‘She knows who you are?’

They entered the empty building and Vad led her to an office on the left, sliding her a look. ‘No. You’re the only one here who knows that.’

‘Then why was she so… submissive?’ Corvina wondered as they entered a small space with a desk, a chair, and a telephone. An ugly thought penetrated her mind. ‘Please tell me you haven’t slept with her.’ She’d get nauseous if he had.

His deep chuckle came before his hands fell on her waist, tugging her into the space between his legs as he leaned back on the desk. Oneof his hands took a hold of her chin in a move her body recognised, his silver eyes warm on hers. ‘I like you being possessive of me.’

‘That’s not an answer,’ she pointed out, her stomach sinking.

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