Authors: Kelly Varesio
Insperatus (27 page)
She reached out and touched his throat, where puncture scars were left. He still didn’t have a shirt on, or else he would’ve kept them covered.
He almost began to pull back, but he didn’t. He leaned in.
“
You have nothing to be ashamed about, as I think of it,” she said, her eyes sparkling up at him. “Were you ever really in an accident, then?”
You have nothing to be ashamed about, as I think of it,” she said, her eyes sparkling up at him. “Were you ever really in an accident, then?”
“
No,” he said ruefully.
No,” he said ruefully.
“
And your vision is perfect, isn’t it? Like mine?”
And your vision is perfect, isn’t it? Like mine?”
“
Yes.”
Yes.”
She sighed. “Why did you say your transformation was so painful yet mine was not?”
“
I was alive when I was bitten,” he said quietly. “My body was rejecting the poison, which, in turn, caused havoc inside of me. You were dead, so your body did not try to fight off my…my toxin.” He paused another moment.
I was alive when I was bitten,” he said quietly. “My body was rejecting the poison, which, in turn, caused havoc inside of me. You were dead, so your body did not try to fight off my…my toxin.” He paused another moment.
“
And that was all the pain you remember?”
And that was all the pain you remember?”
He hesitated before speaking again. “There was torture also.”
She shook her head contemplatively. “I can’t imagine, but I feel better to know that you can relate so much to me; at least to my internal pain. I never suffered physically.” There was a break in speech to swallow the spoken thoughts. “What does it mean to ‘become great in mental capabilities’, Traith?” she asked, her heart beginning to break down again. “All those things she said I would do, and that they included pain. That does terrify me.”
“
I know,” he said. “I know.” He looked down and shook his head, then met her eyes. “I can imagine that means you will someday be capable of doing nearly anything regarding the mind; another’s, or your own. Rein, that means you’ll be powerful beyond your imagination.”
I know,” he said. “I know.” He looked down and shook his head, then met her eyes. “I can imagine that means you will someday be capable of doing nearly anything regarding the mind; another’s, or your own. Rein, that means you’ll be powerful beyond your imagination.”
She hugged him in a closing sorrow. But she hugged him. He smiled, but she didn’t see. He refrained from talking anymore because he felt her hands begin to tighten around his lower back, below his main wound. She drew closer to him, as he did to her, and their lips brushed.
He tasted her kiss with a fiery passion he had never felt before. He was kissing a woman. A woman he loved.
He
loved
.
loved
.
Chapter 35
Traith was walking in front of Rein down the hall. His shirt was still off, and she saw that his back had not even begun to heal. It must have only been a day or so since they were on the ship. She was going to ask him again about his back; she was going to ask him about how much time had gone by.
There was so much to ask about, and only a few hours had passed since they were in the library together. The castle was so large and extravagant. Did he inherit the castle as he said, or was that one of the lies? She had to ask him about that, too. As soon as they had another chance to sit, she would.
He opened a large door at the end of the long, stone hall. As soon as he opened it, he froze. She couldn’t see much from behind him.
“
I haven’t been here for so long,” he said in a daze. “Nothing has been touched in here for years; but it’s
clean
.”
I haven’t been here for so long,” he said in a daze. “Nothing has been touched in here for years; but it’s
clean
.”
Then she wondered how old he really was. When was he born? How long had he been on the ship?
He finally walked forward, and as he did, she saw that it was a bedroom. More like a bedroom chamber. It was the largest bedroom she had ever seen.
Although everything was made with stone, there was a bed the size of three average ones to the left, with a canopy and sheets and blankets full of feathers. With a glance around the room, she noted a vanity, a sitting area, and balcony doors.
“
Look,” he said, and he walked forward.
Look,” he said, and he walked forward.
He unlocked the iron and glass doors and walked out onto the balcony. Wind blew his hair to the side, and the muscles tensed in his shoulders. He turned and motioned for her to come next to him.
She approached the end of the balcony and looked over the edge. They were on the highest floor—at least 100 yards from the ground.
“
Dear God,” she whispered.
Dear God,” she whispered.
He watched her with a smile, but she could see that he was still tense. “Rein, I didn’t inherit this castle. My family was rich, but our home was in England. I came about this castle…”
“
How?” she asked.
How?” she asked.
He turned to her slowly, and then looked down at the ground from the edge, his arms propped on the rail. “I wish I knew.”
It was sad to see him trying to remember things in vain. He truly yearned for his lost memory.
“
When
were
you born?” she dared to ask. “You aren’t really twenty three, are you?” She walked forward and rested her arms on the rail beside him.
When
were
you born?” she dared to ask. “You aren’t really twenty three, are you?” She walked forward and rested her arms on the rail beside him.
He glanced at her for a moment, and then looked ahead. The pine-scented air blew harder, and it felt good on her face. She looked at him until he was forced to return her stare.
He sighed loud. “Rein…”
“
Please tell me when you were born,” she winced.
Please tell me when you were born,” she winced.
“
In…” He shook his head and looked at her, as if in disbelief himself. “I was born in 1703, Rein.”
In…” He shook his head and looked at her, as if in disbelief himself. “I was born in 1703, Rein.”
Her heart sank. He was watching her with gentle eyes. Rein calculated his age; 140 years old.
One hundred and forty?
And she was only
twenty
.
twenty
.
She let out a breath and closed her eyes. “Something about you didn’t seem only three years older than me,” she trembled.
“
I grew up in the 1700’s, Rein. Not the 1800’s. And in a hundred or so years, the world changes more drastically than you could ever imagine; especially if you’ve lived it. Not that I can remember much of it, and even if I did I was stuck on that ship for most of it.”
I grew up in the 1700’s, Rein. Not the 1800’s. And in a hundred or so years, the world changes more drastically than you could ever imagine; especially if you’ve lived it. Not that I can remember much of it, and even if I did I was stuck on that ship for most of it.”
She was silent.
“
Listen, Rein,” he said, leaning close to her, but she cut him off.
Listen, Rein,” he said, leaning close to her, but she cut him off.
“
That’s why Carden said your way of wooing a girl would be withered, and why you said you hated crinolines, because when you were young they were too big.”
That’s why Carden said your way of wooing a girl would be withered, and why you said you hated crinolines, because when you were young they were too big.”
“
What did Carden say about me? Couldn’t woo a girl?”
What did Carden say about me? Couldn’t woo a girl?”
“
Traith, you were three and twenty over a hundred
years
ago.”
Traith, you were three and twenty over a hundred
years
ago.”
“
I know.” His thumb touched her cheek. “But it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t. I’ve never changed.”
I know.” His thumb touched her cheek. “But it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t. I’ve never changed.”
“
I know it doesn’t matter,” she said, staring despondently ahead. “But everything is just so…unbelievable.”
I know it doesn’t matter,” she said, staring despondently ahead. “But everything is just so…unbelievable.”
“
Rein, tell me about
you
,” he said, changing the subject. “We can tackle what you’re facing as it comes. I’ve never accepted myself, but suddenly, because of you, I’m beginning to. Pretend nothing happened for a moment.”
Rein, tell me about
you
,” he said, changing the subject. “We can tackle what you’re facing as it comes. I’ve never accepted myself, but suddenly, because of you, I’m beginning to. Pretend nothing happened for a moment.”
She smiled vacantly. “Well,” she murmured. “I grew up in a boarding school my entire life, alone, without parents. My mother died in childbirth and my father…” Tears instantly came to her eyes at that term.
“
Don’t say it,” Traith said, and she felt his hand touch her back. “Tell me the rest. No siblings, I assume.”
Don’t say it,” Traith said, and she felt his hand touch her back. “Tell me the rest. No siblings, I assume.”
“
No. Saria was as close as it came…”
No. Saria was as close as it came…”
“
Hobbies,” he said fast, turning her face to look at him before she broke down into tears. “What do you like to do? Do you greatly enjoy reading and writing? I saw some things in your chamber.”
Hobbies,” he said fast, turning her face to look at him before she broke down into tears. “What do you like to do? Do you greatly enjoy reading and writing? I saw some things in your chamber.”
She nodded with her lips tight as she was regaining composure. She smiled to think happier thoughts. “My two favorite.”
“
Any piano? Singing? Drawing?”
Any piano? Singing? Drawing?”
“
Drawing. I love to draw—not paint though. Not very good at that.”
Drawing. I love to draw—not paint though. Not very good at that.”
“
The worlds dumbest could surpass me in art,” he said, smiling.
The worlds dumbest could surpass me in art,” he said, smiling.
He managed to make her laugh a little. “Really? I’m sure you aren’t that bad.”
“
Oh, yes I am,” he objected adamantly, laughing softly.
Oh, yes I am,” he objected adamantly, laughing softly.
“
Are you an animal person?” he asked.
Are you an animal person?” he asked.
She stared deeply into his eyes. She was numb in that place on the balcony—it was like days were passing by in those minutes. She was looking again at him as he had been before anything happened, and an old happiness returned to her.
“
I love animals,” she replied, curling her escaping hair around her ears.
I love animals,” she replied, curling her escaping hair around her ears.
Suddenly a strange feeling took hold of her—something of a headache, but worse. Something—maybe dizziness. Weakness.
Traith’s expression changed. “What?”
“
My head hurts,” she mouthed inaudibly.
My head hurts,” she mouthed inaudibly.
His hand fell, and he stepped back to watch her closer. “I’ll help you with this, Rein,” he said, and with his words, their social conversation again became surreal. “But you must stay strong about it. Don’t ever, ever let go of your grasp.”
He was talking about her mind. It was expanding, and she felt it. It seemed so insane to say, but something was going wrong inside her head…going wrong or just becoming something different. She was hearing things, now…
“
Do you hear me?” he asked. “For me, don’t ever let go.”
Do you hear me?” he asked. “For me, don’t ever let go.”
“
I won’t,” she whispered.
I won’t,” she whispered.
He turned to leave the balcony. Then she got another clear view of his back; she could not take her eyes off of the blisters and open, burnt lesions.
“
Traith, your back.” She didn’t know how to finish the sentence.
Traith, your back.” She didn’t know how to finish the sentence.
He turned and looked at her, half-smiling. “That
is
why I’m not wearing a shirt.”
is
why I’m not wearing a shirt.”
“
How long ago did it happen? I can’t exactly tell. I slept in such strange successions.”
How long ago did it happen? I can’t exactly tell. I slept in such strange successions.”
“
Two days ago,” he said. He was about to leave the balcony, but waited for her to go with him. “Come with me; I’ll show you the rest of the castle.”
Two days ago,” he said. He was about to leave the balcony, but waited for her to go with him. “Come with me; I’ll show you the rest of the castle.”
“
Do you want me to clean and bandage it for you?” she asked, ignoring his beckon. “It’ll heal faster.”
Do you want me to clean and bandage it for you?” she asked, ignoring his beckon. “It’ll heal faster.”
“
No. It’ll be all right for now,” he replied.
No. It’ll be all right for now,” he replied.
“
You can’t see it, can you?”
You can’t see it, can you?”
He hesitated. “No, but—”
“
Then let me fix it for you. Please. It’s awful.”
Then let me fix it for you. Please. It’s awful.”
He smiled. “Thank you, Rein.” He watched her for a moment. His eyes crinkled as if he were going to laugh. “I’ll let you wrap it up later, or do what you want to do with it,” he said with slight hesitance.
He still trusted her. He had as much of an issue with that as she did. In an instant, she was no longer upset. It was over. The only things left to mourn
over
were the possibility of what was to become of her mind, and the lost lives of her loved ones. She needed to open her mind and take everything in—learn it, and accept it for what it was. She had no other choice.
He walked off of the balcony into the bedroom. He held the glass door’s handle. “So this is the highest floor, the hall with the two master bedrooms,” he said. Then he stopped his speech and sighed with a smile, his head down. “Mistress had someone here,” he said with his voice lowered, almost as if speaking to himself. “She had someone here keeping it ready for if…when I returned.”
He looked momentarily interested about something, and when she followed his gaze to a side door in the bedroom, she saw his face light with shock. She neared him hesitantly.
“
What is it?” she asked.
What is it?” she asked.
He almost laughed. “Plumbing,” he said in a daze.
She looked through the door and saw a beautiful bathing area with a bath larger than any she’d ever seen, and through an arch on the right, a toilet with piping, extravagantly decorated.
He shook his head. “I can’t believe this.”
“
And in a castle,” Rein added. “Mistress did this for you?”
And in a castle,” Rein added. “Mistress did this for you?”
“
I suppose,” he murmured, still surprised at the notion of it. Then he nearly began talking to himself. “So they must’ve added a boiler room a floor below…” He turned, holding his chin, and left the washroom. Then he held his hand out for hers. “Want to explore my house with me?”
I suppose,” he murmured, still surprised at the notion of it. Then he nearly began talking to himself. “So they must’ve added a boiler room a floor below…” He turned, holding his chin, and left the washroom. Then he held his hand out for hers. “Want to explore my house with me?”
She gave her hand to him wholeheartedly.
He spent the rest of the night and early morning showing her the grounds and rooms. The castle was vast, yet it appeared lived in. Exactly how long ago had he been cursed onto the ship and forced to leave this beautiful place?
It was nearing dawn. She could see light forming in the sky from the open doorway they were approaching. They were going to an outside bailey.
It was a courtyard, with grass and iron fencing. Dawn was breaking in the sky above, and it was shedding minimal light around them. Clouds were coming into view. Then Traith stopped, and shocked registered on his face.
“
Horses
?” he gasped.
Horses
?” he gasped.
He jogged to the fencing and leaned in, his jaw slack, with his palms grasping the fence that kept the beautiful creatures in.
Three horses stood eating. A silver one galloped briskly over to Traith, and he held the horse’s muzzle with both hands. The horse shook his face free gently, and Traith let him go join the other two.
He rested on the rail, head shaking. “I wonder who—”
“
Yoo-hoo!”
Yoo-hoo!”
Neither of them had spoken.
Chapter 36
Traith snapped his attention completely forward and his arms lowered tensely to his sides. Rein was puzzled. It was a girl’s voice that had called.
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