Page 21 of Secondhand Garagyre

Relaxing,Isink back into the comfort of my warm bed and doze on and off for a while.Ivaguely hearLaithogopening my bedroom door and lettingMerryandPippinback in with me before rolling over and slipping into sleeps embrace again.

Thenext timeIwake, sunlight is streaming into my bedroom through the cracks in the curtains.Imust have slept later thanIthought.Rollingover,Icheck the red glow of my alarm clock across the room and see that it’s shortly after nine o’clock.

Wait…

SUNLIGHT!

Boltingout of bed, panic racing through my body,Ifling my bedroom door open, while avoiding a startledMerryandPippin, screaming forLaithog. “LAITHOG!Thesun!Wedidn’t make arrangements to hide you from sun!!Whereare you?!” my words crack at the end, desperation running through me, far deeper than it should for only knowing him for half a day.

Thesound of the back door closing catches my attention andIrush through the living room, ignoring the throbbing in my body as it protests the abrupt motionsI’mforcing it to perform, through the connecting door into the kitchen just asLaithogsteps into the house, sunlight streaming across his body.

Istop, dumbfounded.

Hesaid…sunlight is his greatest weakness…?

Thesmile that grows on his face is less unsettling this morning than it is yesterday, thoughIdon’t processwhy.Mymind is too full of the fear he died due to my carelessness.

“Paisley, be at ease.Iam unharmed.I’vejust finished warding the edges of your property,” he soothes both hands raised in a reassuring manner.

“Thesun…”

“Yousaid…”

“HOWAREYOUNOTDEAD,LAITHOG!”IswhatIfinally bark out.Myshout makes his earn pin back against his head as a look of contrition replaces his smile.

“Ah.Ehm.Yes, well.Iwill have to explain that, whilst apologizing for appropriating one of your items from the locked room next to the library.”Myeyes narrow asIcross my arms and start tapping one of my feet.

Justwhat is he doing in my jewelry room, and what did he mean he took something out of there?!

Sensingthe change in my mood,MerryandPippinsit on either side of me and stare atLaithog, silently judging him for whatever it is that he did to upset me.Whatloyal little fluffylumpkins they are.

“Perhapswe should move to the communal room?Istarted a fire earlier and…” his words trail off when he notices my attention is captured by what is on his left wrist.Theflash of silver there wasn’t present yesterday.

Itake a step closer to get a better look. “Whyare you wearing that cuff?Ittook me forever to find something like that!It’sworth quite a bit, andIintended to resell it in my shop!”Iexclaim indignantly.

“Erm, yes.Thatis the bitIneed to explain, if you will allow me to do so,” he replies, a slight edge to his tone.

Witha huff,Iturn and slowly flounce to the living room, or as he calls it the “communal room,” only to see that he did, in fact, stoke the fire andIcan see flames merrily licking across fresh logs.MerryandPippinfollowing behind me as usual.

Stifflymarching across the room,Icarefully sit on the couch tucking my legs underneath me, aware thatI’monly wearing my old lady nightgown and a pair of granny panties.Finallybeing mindful of what my body is screaming at me,Iwait forLaithogto settle himself across from me.

Onlyhe doesn’t.

Hewalks past me on the couch callingMerryandPippinas he stalks to the front door asIabsently notice the small wooden box full of natural stones,Ifound at a garage sale is sitting on the coffee table in front of me. “Littlebeasts, come.Itis time for you to go into the out.Neitherof you have been out in some time,” his deep voice states.

MerryandPippintrot across the living room, out the glass-paned storm door onto the patio asLaithogcloses the door behind them.Leavingthe solid wooden front door open so the sunlight streams in through the glass of the storm door.

Well.

Shit.

Ican feel the beginning of something that bears the resemblance of guilt building in the pit of my stomach.

Imay have overreacted.

Abit.

Okay…soItotally overreacted.

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