Page 21 of The Beast of Ashwood Manor

Clearing his throat, he looked away. “Do you need something?”

“Is this the work you want to do?” I asked.

“I used to do it before. You know, in the real world.”

“Right. But as a kitchen boy.”

He turned a sharp eye on me. “Are you making fun of me?”

I shook my head. “No.”

“Then what do you want?”

Gritting my teeth, I said, “You don’t have to be so cross with me. I told you I keep to myself. Don’t take it so personally.”

“Don’t tell me what I shouldn’t feel.” Cale picked up the basket of eggs and left the pen. “You’re the lord of this manor, and yet no one sees you for days at a time. And then you ignore everyone here when you’re out and about.”

“That’s why I told you not to take it personally.”

“So, that’s it, then? I’m just supposed to not take it personal when I’m the one stuck here? And all these other people? Do you really have no desire to help them?”

“No.” I spoke the lie through my teeth.

Cale raised his chin. “So, you’re telling me you don’t want conversation, you don’t want to help any of us, and I’m not supposed to take that personally?” He shook his head. “Then what is it going to take to get through to you?”

My jaw tightened, and now it was my turn to become upset. Coming close to his face, I pointed a finger out. “Nothing. I don’t want to get to know you, and I don’t want to talk with you or the others, so cornering me like you’ve been doing won’t be tolerated. Just leave me be.”

“Remember, you’re the one who came to converse with me just now, and I’m still not sure why.”

Cale looped the basket around his arm and put his hands on his hips. When he craned his neck, staring at me, I could see the sheen of sweat on his skin, and my skin flushed.

Whatwasmy fucking reason for coming here?

Then it came back to me. Looking away, I said, “I’m going on a hunt. I don’t want you to think I just up and left and won’t return. I don’t want you to follow me into the woods thinking you can do it, too. That’s why I’m here.”

“You think I’d try and do that again?”

“I don’t know. You did it before.”

“That’s because I was stupid,” he muttered, his shoulders slumping. He looked down at the ground.

“You’re not stupid,” I whispered, feeling the need to assure him, despite my demands for him to leave me alone.

“No, just cursed.”

“And I can’t do anything about that.”

“You can, you just won’t.”

“I’m not doing this.” I leaned in close, my words coming out in a hiss. “I’m leaving. I should be back in a few days. Think about what I said while I’m out.”

Moving away, I made my way around the house, out the gate, and into the darkness of Ashwood.

AfterIhelpedEdgarwith the chickens, I loitered around the yard for a while, still trying to calm down after Gil had ruffled my feathers. I glanced around at a few small rocks wedged into the ground and put them in my pockets before I went inside to wash off and change my clothes before supper.

I still had a little time, so I went to the library, which was stocked with many books. There were many titles I couldn’t read, but I wished I could so I could pass the time with them. Instead, I looked for ones with pictures in them and took a few back to my room to look at.

I sat in the chair near the hearth and looked through a book that, judging by the drawings, was about a ship that wrecked. There was a mermaid and other magical elements, and by the middle of the book, I had already made up in my head what it could be about, even if it didn’t fit the actual story.

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