Beguiled, The Deadlock series, Book 2

Chapter 4: Seduction

On Sunday, I didn't see Christopher at all as he had been supervising the excavation all day. Besides, I was hiding among the insulating walls of my little house, searching frantically within my dad's archives in the hopes that I would find the desirable clues that would enable me to put an end to the absurdity I had been going through.

When it got dark, I felt the need for some fresh air. The night was bright, as a huge, orange moon had just ascended the dark mountain slopes toward the starry sky. I opened the door and walked toward the circular garden to which all eight little houses had access. The first blood-red buds on the rose bushes had started to blossom, leaving a faint odor of freshness in the air. The garden promised a culmination of color as the ground, replete with water, had all the bushes and flowers ready to burst into life; I thought of the imminent outbreak of odor and color. Would I still be around?

"Feeling restless?" Christopher's voice sounded wary, coming from a bench to my left, giving me a start. The anger I felt for him the previous night still hadn't worn off. My first thought was to find an excuse and go back into my house, but then something stopped me. Something more powerful than my instincts of self-preservation.

"It's a beautiful night," I said, trying to hide the tremor in my voice. This was one of the very few moments I'd been alone with him since he'd brought me back to Pylos. I still hadn't gotten used to the distance he had brought between us. I would never get used to it.

"It makes your heart cry, doesn't it?" he whispered, gazing at the full moon.

"It's so bright ..." I mumbled, looking for words to finish my statement, startled by the unexpected revelation of his thoughts.

"Ahh, don't let it deceive you. 'The moon's an arrant thief, and her pale fire she snatches from the sun'."

"Shakespeare? Wow!" I mocked. My mind went back on track; romantic mood subsiding, resentment taking over.

Silence was hisresponse. But I persisted.

"I've always wondered about that other side, the dark one."

Still no response. I presumed he was processing my point, wondering about the hint in it.

"I guess there's always a dark side to everything, no matter the beauty of it." Bitterness exposed my intentions as evidently as the full moon above us. I was certain he had grasped the challenge, but the lack of any kind of reaction from his part disappointed me. Christopher kept gazing at the moon, lost in his own thoughts.

Overwhelmed by the sudden fear he might just give up and leave instead of responding to my childish challenge, I made an effort to hold back. What was I doing spoiling the magic of the moment? How many nights had I dreamt of moments like this? And there I was, being grumpy again!

I changed my tune and ignored the growing signs of the looming fit of anger inside me, threatening to break out.

"When I was a little girl, I used to look at the moon through a telescope my dad had bought for me. I was sure I could make out streets on it. I never realized how far it was and I would always ask my dad if we could fly there by plane like the astronauts had done."

"It'll just take a little more time," he whispered, startling me.

My eyes scanned his loveable face. "That's funny. That's exactly what my dad used to say."

Christopher didn't say anything for a few minutes. He didn't move at all, lost in his thoughts, enchanted by the huge, red moon that was staring at us in full splendor, dominating the sky, captivating the eyes, the thoughts, the soul.