Page 12 of Bought By the Revenant
He hesitates, then asks, “At the auction, you said you had no family. Yet you speak of your mother with fondness.”
I drizzle honey over my slice and watch it seep into the bread’s crevices.
“Six winters ago, there was a sickness in my village. It took everyone in my family. My parents, my younger brother… I was the only one who survived.”
“I’m sorry,” he says. “To lose everyone at once... I cannot imagine.”
“It changed everything,” I admit. “But their memory lives in small things… Like this bread.”
When I glance at Riven, I notice he’s eating more freely now that our conversation draws attention away from the act of eating itself.
“What was your mother like?” he asks.
I draw in a breath. It’s not easy to talk about them. It’s been six years, but the deep wound their passing left behind will never heal. Most days, I try not to think about it.
“Kind. Strong. She was a midwife too, taught me everything I know about herbs and healing.” I smile at the memory. “She always had dirt under her fingernails from working in the garden, no matter how much she scrubbed.”
Riven nods, and there’s a look of understanding in his eyes that puts me at ease. The conversation flows easier after that, as we exchange small bits of history over sweet bread and wine.
***
After dinner, Riven walks me through darkened corridors with a heavy silver candelabra in his hand. The dancing flames cast his shadow large against the walls, and it stretches and shifts with each step we take through the mansion’s maze of hallways.
“I asked Nell to prepare a bedroom for you,” he says. “I hope you find it comfortable.”
He stops before a heavy wooden door with iron fittings and pushes it open. The room takes my breath away. It’s not just a bedroom, but an entire suite. There’s a four-poster bed draped with deep blue velvet, tall windows with heavy curtains line one wall, and a small sitting area with bookshelves occupies another corner. Through an open doorway, I see a private bathroom with a copper tub.
“This is all for me?” I whisper.
“Of course.” Riven stands awkwardly by the door, afraid to enter further. “The windows overlook the east garden. I thought you might enjoy the morning light.”
I step inside and trail my fingers over the polished wood furniture, the soft bedding, and the spines of books arranged on shelves. For minutes on end, I am speechless, just exploring the room, taking everything in.
“There are fresh clothes in the wardrobe,” he says. “If they don’t suit you, Nell can arrange for more.”
I turn to face him, overcome by his generosity.
“Thank you. This is more than I ever expected.”
He nods, his white eyes luminous in the candlelight.
“Sleep well, Amity.”
The door closes softly behind him, and I stand alone in my new sanctuary. For the first time in months, I feel truly safe. So much so that I take a bath, wash my hair thoroughly, then slip between sheets softer than anything I’ve ever felt, and fall into dreamless sleep.
***
I wake up disoriented, with sunlight streaming through windows I don’t recognize. Panic seizes me for a moment before memory returns. I’m in Riven’s mansion. I’m safe. The sun sitshigher than I’m used to when I wake up. I’ve slept late, my body giving in to the comfort of a real bed after months of fitful rest in cheap inns and freight cars, where every noise meant potential danger.
I dress quickly in clothes I find in the wardrobe. They are simple but well-made, and nearly my size. When I make my way to the dining room, breakfast waits for me on the table: fresh bread, preserves, fruit, and a pot of herbal tea.
Riven sits at the table, watching as I enter.
“You’ve already eaten?” I ask, noting the lack of a plate before him.
“Yes,” he says. “I rise early. Please, join me.”
I sit and fill my plate, aware of his eyes on me as I eat. The silence stretches between us until I can’t bear it anymore.
