Page 51 of The Beast of Ashwood Manor

I’m sure he’s tired.

I was happy to see Royce up and well, though he seemed a bit slower than usual in cooking. My mind was off in another place as I stirred the eggs in the pan, and a good bit of them fell out.

“Goodness, Cale, you seem very distracted,” Annie said, coming around me for the sugar.

“Probably because Gil stayed in his room most of the night.” Natalie leaned against the cutting table, and I looked down, feeling rather strange about the conversation.

“Don’t you have anything better to do?” Annie waved her out. “Go set the dining table!” She huffed and came up beside me. “Never mind her, Cale. She thrives on knowing about everything going on here.”

I smiled as I piled the cooked eggs onto a plate. Annie was being cordial to me for a change, which surprised me. “How is Royce doing?” I glanced at him as he rummaged around the pantry.

“He’s better this morning,” she said, her voice low. “That hag did a number on him. I’m not really sure how.”

I recalled seeing Royce on the ground and the Shade hovering over him, its mouth opening and the smoke coming out, billowing around his face. A chill ran up my spine, and I pushed the grim thought away as I finished up in the kitchen.

I sat with the others in the dining room for breakfast, and thankfully, it wasn’t as awkward as I thought it might be. Nobody mentioned me and Gil, though Natalie threw a smirk my way every once in a while. Mary was more quiet than usual, and she looked back at the doorway leading into the front of the house often, as if she was waiting for someone.

After breakfast, I went to Gil’s tower and knocked on the door, but he didn’t answer. I searched the whole manor, but he was nowhere.

He must have gone out on another hunt and didn’t tell me.

I went outside to work with Edgar, but with it being bitterly cold, there wasn’t much for us to do besides change out blankets for the animals to keep them warm.

When evening approached, I went to the library, where I waited for Gil. I waited for a long time . . . but still, he hadn’t come.

I had my books and paper set out, and I’d written many words on there, but it was now full of drawings and shapes I’d outlined several times. After an hour, I looked out the window. Snow fell lightly from the gray sky. The wind whistled against the house, and the room was freezing. Winter was starting off rather brutal. Already, there had been bouts of snow here and there, but it was never enough to stick to the ground long. But since it started earlier that day and was nonstop, it was everywhere.

He’s not coming.

I rubbed my arm, warming it up, and shivered. It was ridiculous to stay in the cold library any longer, so I put up the books and left. Rather than sit in my room, I sought out Mary, who peered out the downstairs window.

“Hello, Mary,” I started. “Is something wrong?”

She pulled back and twisted her fingers in her hands. “It’s Lord Gil. I wasn’t supposed to say anything, but he went out early this morning because Eugenia reported a disturbance in the field. He hasn’t returned.

“Since this morning?” My brows furrowed. I looked out the window with her. “Do the others know?”

“More or less.”

“Why didn’t any of you tell me?”

Mary cut her eyes to me before quickly looking back outside. “He didn’t want you to know.”

“Why?” I was getting angry now.

“I don’t know.”

Sighing, I looked back out again. “Is he usually gone this long?”

“He has been before. I suppose I’m a bit worried because it’s so cold out, and it’ll be dark soon. I hope he brought his cloak.”

I looked up at the sky at the big chunks of snow. The yard was already white, and Edgar was shoveling a path from the door to the gate. If Gil was out there in the cold, surely he’d know how to manage it. Wouldn’t he?

Pursing my lips, I made my way to the door and pulled it open. A burst of cold air filled the room.

Mary gasped. “Where are you going?”

“I just want to look around,” I said, shutting it quickly behind me. Rushing down the steps, I made my way down the shoveled stone path.

---