Page 57 of Beyond Rosy Irish Twilight

As he walked away, I turned back to the door and finally opened it, stepping out into the fresh breeze. I instantly felt better, like the plants and air around me were rejuvenating me. I noticed one of the guards turned and nodded to me as I hesitantly walked over to a chair. I took my seat and stared at the beauty of the back yard. Out here, there was peace. Inside, my worst nightmares waited for me.

* * *

“You should really eat something,” Patrick said again as he worked on his second helping of breakfast. He devoured it like he hadn’t eaten in years. He shoved a plate closer to me and I picked up a grape, staring at it like it was the most disgusting thing in the world.

I just didn’t have an appetite, but he continued to stare at me, waiting for me to put it in my mouth. I finally popped it in and chewed on it, feeling the juice squirt around my mouth, but it was like sawdust I was eating. After a whole five minutes, I finally swallowed it, then grabbed the water from the table and washed down the horrible flavor.

“More?” Patrick asked.

I shook my head. “Not right now.”

He leaned back in his seat and stared at me. “If you don’t eat, you’re just going to wither away.”

If only. Dying by starvation wasn’t exactly appealing, and it wasn’t that I was trying to kill myself off, but I couldn’t force any more of that stuff down my throat. “It’s the medication,” I finally said. “I’m just not hungry.”

“I’m pretty sure I’m on the same medication as you.”

I gritted my teeth and snapped my gaze to his. “Maybe my body is responding differently to it.”

“Maybe you’re just refusing to eat.”

I huffed in irritation and looked away from him. “Can you just be quiet so I can enjoy this?”

“I’m not very good at staying quiet,” he said. “It’s boring.”

“I like boring.”

“Clearly.”

We sat in silence for a whole two minutes before he started up again. “How about a game?”

“I hate games.”

“Come on,” he groaned. “I can’t just sit here all day.”

“You don’t have to sit here at all. I don’t need the company.”

“But I do,” he grumbled. “I’m not allowed to go back to work, so that means I get to hang with you.”

I snorted at that. “You hang with me when you’re working. You’re my protection, remember?”

A sly grin tilted his lips. “Which is why you have to entertain me. Come on, one game of chess.”

I actually somewhat enjoyed chess, but had no desire to play it right now. But if it meant keeping him quiet for a half hour while I kicked his ass, it would all be worth it. “Fine, one game.”

“Ha! I knew I’d get to you. My mom always told me I had that type of personality.”

“A bully?”

“No, one that could convince anyone to do anything,” he said, looking at me funny. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

I rolled my eyes. Seriously, where would I go? Minutes later, he was back outside with a grin on his face, setting up the board. I shuffled my plate to the side to make room on the table, but noticed how he pushed it toward me when it was too close to the edge.

“You can go first,” he grinned.

“Wow, so chivalrous of you.”

I made my first move, hoping to play in silence, but that was not going to happen.

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