Goldie and Red

Chapter 9 - Atlas

Jack stared blankly ahead whilst Rowan caught him up on the events of past few weeks in the village. I couldn't read him, he didn't seem to react to anything she said. He just listened.

I looked down as Rowan broke the news of my parents. Her voice hitched as she took a break for a moment. She was grieving too, I knew that, but I couldn't find any words to pick up where she left off. So we sat in silence for a while, but I could feel them both looking at me.

Jack's hand gently scooped up mine as he traced my knuckles with his thumb. I looked up to him with tears in my eyes. They fell onto my cheeks as he lifted his other hand and wiped them away softly.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. He looked over to Rowan."You must stay the night. You can get some proper sleep you both look like you need it."

"But Jack-" I went to speak but he shushed me. I wanted to explain why we needed him, why I needed his help, it was urgent. But he was right, I was exhausted from being hunted down by the Guardsmen, and not to mention being half-mauled by a flying demon.

Jack walked me down a long corridor with a high vaulted ceiling and a checkerboard wooden floor. There were many doors cascading towards a large window at the end looking out into the night. We stopped at a door near to the window.

"All yours." Jack said smoothly as he opening the door and ushered me inside.

The room was large with a four poster bed and pale wallpaper. Numerous potted plants and flowers surrounded and hung from the walls along with a large oak dresser. Two cozy armchairs covered in cushions sat in the centre of the room facing a crackling fire opposite the bed. It was beautiful and calm. I had never seen a room like it.

"I get to sleep here?" I asked.

"You can do whatever you want." He chuckled.

I smiled, yawning. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I eyed up the huge bed, but before I could head over I felt a light tug at my waist. I turned to Jack with dozy eyes.

"I'll need to change the dressing on your arm in the morning, the wounds are still fragile, so maybe sleep on the other side." He caressed my other arm slowly and I nodded. I looked up at his eyes as they hovered over me. They were bright and gleaming with each crackle of the fire. I tilted my head, only just realising how tall he'd become. His hand lingered on my arm, I looked down at his many rings and then to his broach. I traced the lion's mane lightly with my finger as he studied my face. Our eyes met again and I felt a sudden panic, noticing how close we had gotten. I smirked and pushed him playfully out of the room.

"Alright, you need to go. Goodnight." I muttered as I closed the door on his mischievous grin. I turned away and yawned again. Before my mind had chance to linger on what just happened, I took off my shirt and trousers, covered myself in a silk robe hanging next to the bed, and face planted. 

I sunk peacefully into the mattress, slowly settling in-between the soft sheets, breathing in the lavender scent of the cotton as my eyes fluttered closed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I waited for Jack in the living room. Amber was exhausted, I could tell, but I still had a lot to say. I still had a lot to ask. 

I didn't trust Jack as far as I could throw him, and with the Guardsmen on our tail, I had to be sure we were safe here. 

He strutted back in with a naughty look on his face, I stood up from the couch as he headed over to a cabinet in the corner.

"Drink?" He asked coolly.

"Fine. But we need to talk. Is Amber asleep?" I replied.

"Probably, I don't know, she seemed tired. I left her in her room." He poured out two glasses of whiskey and walked over to me and handed me one of them.