I released him and returned to my seat, picking up my sketchbook to resume my drawing. Rhydian stretched and posed, deliberately flexing his muscles until I gave him a pointed look over my pad. He laughed and settled back against the tree once more. I alternated between eating and drawing, trying my best to catch moments when he was the most relaxed.
Like our time at the pub, I found it was strangely easy to be comfortable around Rhydian. He gave off an aura almost, a lightness that seemed to absorb all the darkness that I usually struggled to deal with. Even without the two of us talking, it was pleasant. Everything felt good. The sun was warm on my skin, the gentle breeze stirred my hair and the only sound was the birds in the nearby trees, the light panting of the dog lying beside me and the occasional tuneful hum from Rhydian.
“Here,” I said finally, sliding the pad over to him. He examined it contemplatively.
“You are very gifted. I wish I could do the same for you,” he told me. He passed the pad back, his hand brushing mine lightly as he did so.
“I wish other people could see it… most people just see me as trouble.”
Rhydian’s smile faded and he shifted over towards me. He wrapped an arm around me and gave me a small hug. He smelled pleasant, some form of aftershave I assumed, and the scent stirred something in the back of my memory.
“It’ll get better Blair. I promise.”
The pair of us sat next to each other, staring out across the valley in silent appreciation of the moment.
*****
The picnic was just the start. Over the days that followed, I found myself spending more and more time with Rhydian. It wasn’t intentional, he was just… nice. It was such a pitiful word but really that was the only way I could describe it. We planned to meet at sometimes and other times it just happened. He had an uncanny ability of texting me when I felt at my lowest and he always seemed to know what to say. We got on well… it was pleasant, simple. He was kind, friendly and funny. I tried to stay guarded but the more time I spent with him, the harder it got. He had a way of working his way past my defences. Eventually I started to look forward to his company but at the same time I was aware of a sense of déjà vu at the back of my mind, accompanied by a nagging warning voice.
A week later, I found myself in the house alone. Uncle Michael had gone to a neighbouring town with Nan and the twins had accompanied them. They didn’t tell me what they were doing, just that they were planning on staying overnight.
It was early evening, the sun just beginning to set when there was a knock at the front door. I frowned and went to answer it, wondering if Matthew had been left behind as well. I opened it to see Rhydian, leaning against the doorframe.
“Rhydian!”
“Hey Blair. I was nearby and I remembered you saying that you’d be alone tonight… I wanted to check in and make sure you were okay.”
“That’s very sweet. Do you want to come in?”
“Are you sure it’s not a problem?”
“Not at all. Come on, I’ll get you a drink.”
We headed into the living room. Rhydian peered out of the glass doors while I went into the kitchen.
“You have a pool?” he called.
“Yep. And a hot tub.” I stuck my head out of the kitchen. “You have been up here before…”
“Yes but only to the gate. You can’t see the pool from there.” He paused, looking over at me and then back at the pool. “Fancy going for a swim?”
“It’s getting a bit late… there is still a wild animal running around.” By this point, it was well known around the town and the surrounding area that there was a feral dog or something out there. Mr Murphy had reported the animal attack on his horse and not long after a man had arrived at the door warning us all to stay inside after dark.
“I’ll protect you, I promise.” Rhydian said with a grin. His tone was slightly teasing and there was a playful glimmer in his eyes but there was also an edge of sincerity that made me believe him. “Speaking of wild animals… where’s Cujo? I bought him some treats, thought I might try to get him to like me.”
“That’s a lost cause, he doesn’t like anyone. And he’s upstairs.”
“Shame.”
“I’d be up for swimming though. There should be some spare trunks in one of the cupboard if you want to borrow some.”
The pair of us went upstairs and I rooted around in the cupboard, eventually pulling out a towel and a pair of swimming trunks with bright yellow flowers on them. Rhydian’s eyebrows almost disappeared into his hair as he took in the ridiculous clothing.
“Here you go. Give me a minute to change and I’ll be right down.” I paused. “Although I’m not sure I’ve got anything quite as flashy as those.” He laughed and beamed at me as if my words had made his day and then he headed down the stairs. I looked through my swimsuits, pausing before selecting my favourite bikini. I wasn’t sure if I should wear something more modest but it was what I normally wore so I didn’t see why I should change my habits. I quickly put on my swimsuit and headed downstairs. There was a spring in my step that I was unused to as I went down the stairs.
By the time I got to the garden, Rhydian was already in the pool. As I approached, he surfaced, slicking his dark hair back out of his eyes. He waved at me as I came over. I smiled and climbed into the pool. I loved the feel of warm water on my skin, being surrounded by it made me feel weightless. I took a moment to drift happily before I was suddenly splashed. I shrieked and looked around. Rhydian continued his playful assault and I ducked under the water to avoid it. When I dared to peek back up, there was no sign of him. I frowned, looking around.
I noticed a dark shape moving under the water and a split second later I felt soft fingers brushing against the skin of my feet. I squeaked and squirmed. The fingers persisted, tickling me, making me thrash desperately. He came up for air and I scowled jokingly.
“Meanie. I’m super ticklish. You can’t exploit my weakness like that!”
“Why not?” He grinned mischievously at me. “It’s so much fun!”
“Well you’ll have to catch me then!” I splashed at him and swam away across the pool. He chased after me, like a relentless animal, hounding me until I was trapped in the corner of the pool. He grinned, putting an arm either side of my body, caging me in.
“Give up?”
“Never!” I laughed and ducked under his arm. We continued our game of cat and mouse around the pool until we were both panting with exhaustion. He reached out half-heartedly and grabbed my wrist as I swam past him. I was too tired to keep moving so I let myself go limp.
“I win?” he asked, lightly wrapping an arm around my waist. I rested my head against his shoulder unconsciously and smiled.
“You win.” I became aware of how close I was to him and started to pull away. I moved to the edge of the pool and climbed out, then lay on the damp stone, watching him. He looked a little hurt. I wondered if that was because I’d moved away. It couldn’t be, could it?
I looked up at the sky which was stained orange as the sun started to set. It was going to be a clear night, I could tell.
“It’s getting dark.” Rhydian said, pulling himself out of the pool beside me.
“We should probably head back inside.”
“Well… we could. Or we could stay out here and make use of the hot tub.” I must have looked uncertain because he continued. “How often do you get the chance to sit in the hot tub at night with a handsome young man?”
“Who’s also incredibly modest,” I responded sarcastically.
“Naturally.” He went over to the hot tub and started to fiddle with the wood burner at the back. I came over to help, knowing that the burner had a tendency to spark up quite aggressively.
Rhydian smiled as the wood caught alight and then offered me his hand. I took it and both of us perched on the edge of the hot tub, waiting as the water started to heat up.
“Are you okay? You’re not too cold are you?” He asked, looking over at me. I
shook my head, his concern making me smile.
“No I’m fine.” He dipped his toe in the water, testing the temperature.
“I think it needs a little longer. Here, put this on.” He fetched his towel from where he’d hung it and wrapped it around my shoulders to make sure I stayed warm. I clutched it close and gave him a small smile. He smiled back. “I’m going to get us some tea to keep us warm while we wait.”
He headed back to the house. I sat there, feeling content. My smile grew as I relaxed and enjoyed the moment.
“You know, you’re really pretty when you smile. You should do it more often.” I jumped and looked round. Rhydian had returned with two mugs of tea. I blushed and giggled at his compliment.
“Thank you.” I looked away, embarrassed.
“You really don’t compliments do you?” he said softly, taking his seat beside me again and passing me the mug. I could smell that it was the herbal blend he used.
“I... I’m just not used to them I guess.”
“Now I find that hard to believe.” I looked over at him and raised an eyebrow.
“And why’s that?”
“Well… because you’re beautiful of course.” My blush intensified.
“You’re just saying that.” I looked away, watching the shadows gather at the edges of the garden.
“Can I ask you something?”
“You just did. But sure go ahead.”
“What did you do… to get kicked out of your old school? It’s been… making me very curious.”
“You’ll just have to get used to curiosity I’m afraid. I don’t tell that one to anyone. Even my family don’t know exactly what happened.”
“It can’t have been that bad. I told you about prison and clearly you’re still out on the street, so you can’t have done anything worse than me.”
I frowned and bit my lip, looking down at my distorted reflection in the water of the hot tub. The truth of the matter was, I hadn’t told anyone the truth because really… I didn’t know. There was a gap in my memory, a dark void that had consumed the events of that night. I remembered before and I remembered after but that was it.
“The school I went to had a mixture of dorms and smaller rooms. They were mainly doubles, a few singles. They were usually reserved for older students, upperclassmen, prefects, head girls. At the time I was in a double… because no one in my year liked me. There had been… tensions. I was sharing with this younger girl, she was very nice and sweet… That night I woke up and there was someone in the room. I couldn’t see them, but I felt them. I don’t know what happened after that… the next thing I knew, it was morning. I wasn’t in the room anymore, I was in one of the old attic spaces. It was very narrow and dusty. I only just fit in the gap I found myself in, I don’t know how I wedged myself in there… people were shouting downstairs. Eventually they found me and brought me downstairs. I was taken straight to the headmistress. There was an ambulance outside…”
“Did she die…?” Rhydian asked, putting two and two together.
“No. But she was badly hurt. There was no evidence of a break in. I think the only reason it didn’t get taken further is they had no actual proof I’d done anything. Even the girl couldn’t remember… once she came out of the coma. When I got brought home, everyone tried to talk to me about it. They just knew the aftermath and the only people who believed there might be more to it were Elian and Grayson.”
I looked away sharply. I didn’t like to talk about that night. The uncertainty was what scared me. As much as I believed I wasn’t to blame, there was always that kernel of doubt, the fear that maybe I was capable of hurting someone that badly.
“It’s warm enough now,” Rhydian said, taking the hint that the conversation was over.
He slipped down into the now steaming water and helped me down as well. I slipped as I put my foot on the ledge that served as a seat and nearly fell. He grabbed hold of me, steadying me before I could fall and carefully lowered me until I was sitting down. I suddenly realized how close I was to him. His face was just inches from mine. I looked up at him.
He reached down and gently touched my cheek, brushing a strand of hair away from my face with his thumb.
“You know… I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t do this.” He moved quickly and pressed his lips to mine in a long kiss. For a second I thought about resisting, then I let myself melt into the kiss. I was too warm and I was too relaxed to really think about pulling away. Besides, I liked Rhydian. He was different to the others and I missed simple human contact. It was something I’d gone without for so long. People weren’t supposed to live without touch, without engagement. We were social creatures. Yes I had my brothers but sometimes it wasn’t enough… I needed people to act like they cared, like I wasn’t a monster, even if it was just for a short while and even if I regretted it later. So I closed my eyes and kissed him back.
He slowly pulled away and smiled down at me.
“I’m glad that I got to do that.”
“So am I.” We both relaxed into the hot water. Rhydian wrapped his arm around me, holding me close to him. I looked up at the sky. It was now completely dark and the stars were shining bright above my head. “It’s a beautiful night.” Rhydian lifted his head, looking up in the same direction as me. He made a noncommittal noise and looked back down again quickly.
“Tell me more about you?” I asked quietly. He looked down at me.
“What do you want me to tell you about?” I considered for a moment before replying.
“About your home?” He smiled.
“Well it’s not far from here… it’s quite a secluded spot though. We have forest that pretty much circles the entire thing, it keeps it quite private. I have quite a large family… lots of cousins. Some still live in that area. I think that’s one of the reasons I came back… even if I don’t go home, I like the quiet… I like being surrounded by nature. The woods are the place I feel safest. I always have.” He looked at me. “What about you? Where do you feel safest?”
“My bedroom.”
“Really?” He seemed startled by this.
“Yeah. I mean, it’s the one place that no one has ever hurt me. No one ever comes up there… But it just feels safe to me.”
“Is that why you stay?” I sighed.
“Kind of. Another reason is that I just… I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“Well, is there anywhere that you’ve really wanted to go to?” I considered this for a moment before nodding slowly.
“I’ve always wanted to go somewhere that I can just disappear. Get lost.”
“Anywhere particular in mind?”
“Not really. I mean, this place is nice but it’s quiet and it’s all I’ve ever known. I want something… different.”
“So why don’t you go? Just… leave. Have an adventure?” I shook my head.
“I just don’t think it would work out.” He looked down at me with a sympathetic expression on his face.
“You never know until you try something Blair,” he said softly.
I didn’t know what else to say and he didn’t continue talking. I wondered if I’d done something wrong, even though he was the one who brought up his mother. In the end, I decided that the silence wasn’t unbearable and I found myself adopting a contented state, my head on his shoulder as we sat in the hot water together.
FAOLAN
Blair stayed out late. I had seated myself at the window, looking down on the garden. She was out there with him, his arm around her. They did not appear to be talking but merely the sight of them made my fur bristle. When he had kissed her, I had been tempted to throw myself out of the window in rage.
I knew he was up to something and I knew it was because of me. It could not be a coincidence that he had appeared so soon after I came out of hiding. I just was not sure what he was planning yet. If he wanted to kill me for the deaths of his people… well, I would not blame him. But he could have done it easily by now. Why was he involving Bl
air?
You know why. She’s one of them.
I shook my head fiercely, trying to physically dislodge the treacherous thoughts. It was not true, she was not one of them she was just… Blair. I silently cursed myself. I had let myself feel something for the first time in centuries. I had let myself get attached and this was the price I was paying. I could not even think straight anymore.
At the waterside, Rhydian got to his feet. Blair appeared to be asleep and as I watched, he lifted her into his arms. I growled under my breath. There was no way he could have heard the sound but as soon as I made it, he looked up to the window and grinned. I slammed a paw against the glass, wishing I could sink my teeth into him.
Rhydian headed inside, carrying Blair. I leapt down from the window seat and stalked across the attic to the door. Blair usually left it at least a little open for me but on this occasion, it was shut firmly. I tried to balance on my hind legs, attempting to pull on the handle and silently cursing my lack of fingers. I let out a frustrated bark and threw myself onto the ground with a huff. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Rhydian was not targeting Blair because of me. That did not mean she was safe. I knew what kind he was. To him, that young girl was a disposable pleasure and the thought of it made my blood boil.
“Hello pup.”
As if summoned by my thoughts, Rhydian’s voice whispered through the door. I hurled myself at the wood, slamming my head against it in a renewed effort to break through. He only laughed at the thumping sounds from my side of the door.
“It’s no good, you may as well stop trying and listen to me, mutt.”
I wished I could roll my eyes. Every time. His posturing was ridiculous, and the dog insults were overplayed.
“Why did you come back? Why couldn’t you stay gone? What did this poor girl do to end up with you polluting her life?” He was not really talking to me, more speaking his thoughts aloud but I barked loudly in response. I had never left, I just got better at hiding.
“You know me, as I know you. I have seen the recognition and hatred in your eyes and I know that it is not just a reflection of my own. I hate you for what you did and you… well I honestly don’t care why you hate me. Any injury I’ve caused you was in defence of my people, unlike your unprovoked slaughter.”
The Cuckoo's Eye Page 11
