Winter Fire [ Book 1 ] ✔

Chapter Twenty-Four

 With her heart hammering wildly in her chest, Claire turned towards Alek, expecting to see him awake and angry at being disturbed. He had confided in her that he didn't get much sleep after all. To her surprise, and relief, he lay in exactly the same position, chest rising and falling in slow, easy motions indicative of sleep.

Smooth, Claire, she thought to herself as she gathered up the fallen books and stacked them back up one by one.

She was nearly finished when a torn piece of paper fluttered free from the inside of the book she held in her hands. Setting the book aside, Claire crouched down and picked the paper up, turning it over in her hand to reveal an image.

It was the face of a beautiful young woman.

In the artist's rendering, the young girl looked quite happy. Her blue eyes were wide and full of life. Her hair, the color of spun gold, hung in loose curls over one shoulder and on the other shoulder rested a hand.

Where was the owner?

Claire ran her finger across the rough edge and frowned. At some point the drawing at been torn in two, and half of it, including the owner of the hand, was missing. But why? She picked up the book the picture had been tucked into and began to flip through the pages, hoping she'd find the other half. After a few minutes of searching she turned her attention back to the piece she did have.

Was the tear intentional or accidental? Hoping to find a clue, Claire turned the paper over and saw written in elegant, sweeping letters a single name - Sonja Veselie.

Who was this woman?

"Claire? What are you doing up here?"

Claire turned around quickly, hiding the picture behind her. She managed a smile and hoped her eyes would not betray her by exposing her guilt.

"I was coming to see if you were awake," Claire explained. He was staring at her, but not at her. His eyes were fixed lower, much lower, and Claire moved the picture further behind her back. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," he replied, sounding distracted as he stepped closer to her. "I told you I don't sleep much. I was simply resting. What is that you're hiding?"

"I'm not..." she began, but his pointed 'I know you're lying' stare told her all she needed to know. She reluctantly produced the picture from behind her back and showed it to him.

Alek's sleepy expression faded when the picture came into view.

"I thought I had burned this" he said, his voice flat as he stared down at the girl. "Where did you find it?"

"I bumped into some books, it fell out..." Claire explained quietly, watching Alek carefully. "Who... who is she?"

Alek frowned and crumpled the picture up in his hand. "She's no one," he said, tossing the picture into the fire. They both watched in silence as the flames licked hungrily at the paper, quickly turning into ash.

"I spent a great deal of time thinking last night," Alek said at last and Claire felt a tiny ball of dread form in the pit of her stomach. Perhaps it was the way he avoided looking at her, or the seriousness of his tone, but she had a feeling whatever was on his mind was not something she wanted to hear.

"So did I," Claire said, crossing her arms lightly over her chest.

"I know you think some grand adventure awaits you here," Alek said, pacing away from her.

"Alek..." Claire began, desperate to keep him from continuing, her heart skipping erratically in her chest.

"Just know that none of this is your fault, Claire," Alek pressed on, his voice heavy, "I knew better, I should have been stronger, more responsible, but every time I looked into your eyes, or saw you smile, something inside me whispered, just a little bit longer, just one more day... and now it's come to this."