Knight Casefiles Book 1: Revelations

Revelations [Chapter 9]

Chapter 9

“Um, hi,” Elaine stuttered, clearly surprised and, if I ever said this aloud she would deny it, intimidated by Sigrun’s looming form. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Not at all,” Sigrun assured her with a gentle smile. She turned back to me, her smile turning into a smirk. “Master Pierce?”

I gave her a blank look. What did she want me to do? I decided to just smile at Elaine. “Hey.”

Sigrun rolled her eyes, grabbed my arm, and shoved me harshly out the door. “Enjoy your night,” she called before shutting the door. There’re times when I’m just so sure that she’s doing all this to purposefully torture me for the Pop tarts.

I gazed scathingly at the door before turning back to Elaine, who was regarding me with a quirked eyebrow. “Hey,” we both said awkwardly. It drew a flush from Elaine and a fleeting smile on both our lips.

This was only the second time in our year-long relationship that that specific exchange happened. The first one was a week after we first met. We both remembered it. The recall brought similar reactions. I realized, with an internal Whoop! that we would be okay.

Her smile vanished as quickly as it appeared and she made a gesture. “Walk with me?”

I swallowed something in my throat and nodded, trying not to rethink of the recall as a poetic end to our relationship. Elaine led me through the corridors and to the balcony that overlooked the front of the Lodge. Naturally, it also gave a splendid view of the mountain landscape, again prompting the question of why the hell Mr. Whistler doesn’t take pictures of the thing and slap it on a brochure. There was an almost wistful feeling to gazing at the Rockies at night. It reminded me of being a child, when everything new looked so wonderful that it made me jump up and down, completely forgetting all my daddy issues.

It wasn’t winter yet, but by the way nostalgia hit me, it might as well have been. The entire terrain was caked in white frosting that glistened, still-wet, under the moonlight. Shadows cast by mounds of accumulated snow gave the slush a grainy texture that made my hands twitch instinctively, reminded simply by sight of the feel of packing the first snowball of the season. Patches of dark green were scattered here and there, areas populated by trees and shrubs that could somehow survive the cold temperature. A single black pool reflected the hazy moon, marking the small lake situated nearby. Far away, little dots of light graced the mountainside, indicating where the nearest town was. I frowned as I corrected myself, The nearest town where a bunch of kids have gone missing, most likely because of a monster they had no business being exposed to.

I shuddered as a breeze blew, cold air dragged down by the mountain slope because of simple physics. My gaze shifted to Elaine, who was leaning on the banister and staring up. She had changed out of her business outfit in favor of a more casual one. She wore a navy blue sweater and tight denim jeans that made me puff out my chest in pride. Even with wool gloves on, she blew into her hands for warmth, rubbing them together after. Before I could stop myself, I had shrugged out of my jacket and offered it to her.

She looked at it, a flash of indignation glittering in her eyes. Her gaze shifted to me and her eyes immediately softened as she nodded and allowed me to place the jacket over her. “Thanks,” she whispered.

It took me a few seconds to realize the weight of the simple gesture of having her accept aid from me. “You’re welcome.”

Elaine shifted awkwardly as she pulled the jacket closer around her. “You never listen, do you?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, fearing the worst.

She sniffed at the jacket and wrinkled her nose. “I thought I told you not to use this cologne anymore?” Her face broke into a genuine smile and I felt mine doing the same.