Splendid Fall

Ch.22 A Thousand Words

Chapter 22

As Wren used the back of his pen to scratch his forehead, his eyes roamed over the words on the page of the book in his lap. The night had grown cold and he wished he could add more wood to the fire, but he did not want to risk the smoke alerting anyone of their presence in the home.

Birdie had fallen asleep on the red velvet sofa by the fire after she had found a wool shawl to cover herself. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and to Wren it seemed as if she was trying to curl up into a ball.

Her silver hair was a mess of tangles. Falling wildly around her shoulders and hanging off the edge of the sofa. Her pink full lips were parted and the tips of her cheeks were starting to turn red from the amber's heat.

Wren's eyes flickered up to her every now and then as he tried to think of a way to take the brass cuffs off. He did not like that his uncle had this advantage over him. The kingdom was his. He should know all the ins and outs of the place. Who the hell did Darian think he was to mess with his kingdom?

But as Wren sat glaring at the brass cuffs around the girl's wrists, he felt his attention shift to his book once more. His father would be proud of him for coming so far with the research. He finally had a lead, after so many years of thinking he was just looking for something that did not exist.

Deep in his thoughts about his father and uncle, Wren almost didn't notice the way Birdie's brows furrowed in her sleep. If it weren't for the way she shivered and whimpered, he would have missed out on seeing the terror flash across her sleeping face.

The girl's peaceful features twisted as if she was seconds from bursting into tears. Her bottom lip quivered as she tried harder to curl up into a ball on the sofa.

"Stop..." Birdie whimpered, the corner of her eyes watering. "No.No.No. Stop."

Lowering his book, Wren rose from his seat. He walked around the desk and made his way over to the sofa with silent footsteps.

"No!" Birdie's voice grew louder. "No! Please! Stop!"

"Birdie?" Wren called to her.

"No!" Birdie yelled, throwing the shawl off of her and turning her face away from the fire.

"Birdie," Wren stepped closer.

The rivers running down Birdie's face glistened from the light of the fire. Her nose was read as she shivered and whimpered in fear in her sleep. She had begun to weep, begging someone to stay away.

Not knowing if he should touch her, Wren kneeled beside the sofa and cautiously reached out.

"Birdie..."

As soon as Wren's hand touched the side of her face, Birdie screamed.

Jumping up, Wren threw his hand over her mouth and muffled her cry. But his action only scared her even more.

Birdie began to kick and fling her arm around with despracy as more tears gushed out of her eyes.

"Look at me, look at me," Wren urged her. "It's a dream. It was just a dream."

With her pulse racing under his hand, Wren watched Birdie's eyes focus on him. He could only see her gaze over his hand but it was more than enough to speak a thousand words to him.

She was terrified.

Traumatized and frightened beyond belief.

Her tears rolled off her cheeks and ran down Wren's hand over her mouth. She tried to move away but stilled when she realized Wren was holding her arm.