Page 56 of The Beast of Ashwood Manor

“Good night, Gil,” I said softly, retreating from the bathroom.

Themorningwasthecoldest we’d had yet, so much that even Dyna had taken to sleeping with Cale over the past week to keep warm. I had thought about it, but sleeping with Cale was more intimate to me than making love with him. And each time we did it, the harder it was to deny him that.

With the snow a constant, there was less work to do outside other than make sure the animals were fed and warmed and the path around the manor was shoveled, and Edgar took care of that mostly, which left more time for me to spend with Cale.

After Royce had retired to his room before supper, feeling unwell again, I made my way downstairs but met Annie on the way, who cornered me.

“When are you going to show him?” she asked me.

Sighing, I said, “I’m working up to it.”

“You do realize this could be it?”

“And you remember what happened last time?” I looked away. “Is Royce getting worse?”

“Every day. There’s no doubt it was that thing that attacked him. It has to stop.”

My jaw clenched, and I nodded. I brushed past her and glanced over my shoulder, relieved to see her walking back up the stairs.

She was right about it all. I had to show Cale my beast eventually, and the attacks on the manor also had to stop. There were two different paths here, and only one outcome would work.

I didn’t want to think about either at the moment, and instead, I focused on getting plates of food.

It was dark by the time I came to Cale’s room. Outside, the snow drifted heavily. We ate next to the fire, but Cale seemed eager to show me a book he’d been reading. It was short, a book for children about a goblin and a faerie, an ironic thing to read in a place such as this.

I was eager to bed him, and while he read to me, I held his hand and smoothed my thumb over his skin, unable to pay attention to the story and instead thinking of holding him, kissing him—

“I don’t understand this word here,” he said.

My eyes popped open, and I looked down at the book where he pointed at a long word. Taking the book, I said, “Complementary. It means something goes well with something else.”

“Oh. Like different shades of clothes together?”

“Yes.” I tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear.

Cale closed the book and set it beside him. “You seem very restless.”

“I can wait.”

“For me to finish the whole book?” His brows popped up.

“Not quite that long.”

He laughed and leaned into me. As soon as our lips pressed together, a knock sounded on the door.

I pulled away with a sigh and yelled out, “What is it?”

“I need you to come quick, my lord!” Mary said. “We’re being attacked!”

Again?

When I heard a cry from outside, I shot up to my feet and rushed out the door, nearly sending Mary stumbling back. As Cale neared the door, I shut it in his face and held it so he couldn’t get out.

“Gil?” he called. “Gil, open it!”

“Mary, get the key from my boot,” I said. Cale was surprisingly strong for his size, and I found it hard to keep the door held.

Mary bent down and pulled out the skeleton key. She locked it and stepped back.

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