He shouldn't have been there. According to Ash he should have been at court.
Not at Chillsorrow manor.
But as we stepped foot into the manor, Meghan instantly slipping on the icy floors, I learned that even Ash could be wrong sometimes.
"Ash."
That voice. I thought, my feet coming to an instant stop and to my surprise almost slipping. Puck's hands shot out to steady me, and when I glanced up at him I saw his emerald eyes narrowed at the source of the voice, the voice I hadn't heard since Elysium.
"Well I never would have expected to see you here ice boy." Puck retorted, a half sneer curling his lips. I gently elbowed him in the side, my signal for him to at least try and by nice to him.
"Goodfellow, a pleasure to see you again."
"So you me trying to kill you?" Puck feigned shock, a hand shooting upwards to clutch at his chest. "Why, if I knew you enjoyed it I'd try more often."
"Puck, be nice." Meghan chided.
"For once I'll agree with Meghan." I admitted, avoiding the look he was giving me before glancing over at Ash who was staring at his eldest brother. "Ash is hurt." I looked at him and jerked my head. "Go!" I snapped. "Get your injury wrapped up." I gestured wildly towards Ash, towards the injury he'd taken to his chest when he'd been struck by the iron beast.
Ash hesitated, obviously not happy with the fact I'd just told him what to do. But corralling him and Puck had been something Ariella and I had been good with back in the day. He nodded his head and started towards the staircase, muttering something to Sage before disappearing upstairs, quickly followed by his brother.
"So…" Meghan started to say as her eyes flickered between Puck and I. Puck was staring up the staircase, his jaw clenched and hands now curled into tight fists. His vibrant green eyes were narrowed and swimming with wild emotion. It was a sight I'd seen before.
"Come on Meghan." I said shortly. "You've gotta be cold."
She nodded, her eyes still analyzing Puck as I started towards the staircase, not even bothering to make sure she didn't fall and land on her butt. My hand slid up the railing, not even bothering to take notice of how cold it was before I reached the top of the staircase. My head turned to the right and then to the left, then I turned down the left hallway because I knew for a fact that was where I could find an empty room for Meghan to stay in.
It was stupid of us to come here. So stupid.
I'd been here once before, not my idea obviously, but the lady of the house (whoever she was I'd never actually met her) was out at court and we had needed somewhere to go.
By we I mean me and Sage.
But,I started to think to myself as a wry smile curled my lips upward, You're not going to think about that.
"Bryn I have-"
"Not now Meghan." I interrupted her quickly, not knowing what she was going to ask, but I most certainly had a feeling as to what it would be. Why had Puck acted like that towards the eldest Winter prince? It was question I was sure she was dying to know.
"Sorry." She grumbled under her breath as I came to a stop in front of a door and pushed it open. Meghan walked in before I did, eyeing the room and shivering at the same time. She spotted blankets lying on the bed so the first thing she did was snatch a quilt up and wrap it around her shoulders.
I walked towards the fireplace and replaced the cold burning blue fire with a brilliant red flame that gave off warmth that I knew Meghan would probably appreciate. "I figure that'll do you some good."
Meghan was studying me, silent as curious as ever. I raised my eyebrows then looked towards the open door of the room where Puck was now standing. I let out a deep breath, then walked away to leave Meghan alone and let her do whatever she pleased to do.
"I could just kill him you know." Puck said, following me down the hallway.
"And cause unnecessary war between the courts? I think not."
"Ash I believe you owe an explanation as to why you're here with Goodfellow, the two Summer Princesses." I stopped in my tracks, placing a hand on Puck's mouth to keep him from talking, might as well eavesdrop. I was sort of curious as to what Ash's answer would be.
Ash murmured something back that I didn't quite catch, and they lowered their voices which defeated the eavesdropping thing. I hadn't even gotten to hear anything besides Sage asking what Ash was doing here with us. I huffed before slipping back down the hallway to where I knew I could find an empty room.
Once there Puck slipped into the room and I shut the door firmly behind us before going to collapse on the bed with yet another huff.
"What's the matter Bryny?" After shooting Puck a deadly glare for the fact that he'd just called me Bryny again, I answered him, "This is a mess Puck."
"It'll be a fun mess though."
"That's what you always say before everything goes bad." I rolled over onto my back and buried my face into the quilt that lay over the bed. Something heavy landed on the bed beside me and the familiar smell of spring and summer washed over me.
"That's not true, remember that one time when-" "You pissed off that dragon?"
"That was an accident."
"Puck isn't that always your excuse?" I raised my head to look at Puck, an amused smile playing on my lips as my best friend rolled his eyes at me. I lightly hit him in the arm before rolling back over onto my back so I could stare at the ceiling.
"Bryn you do realize you can't stay in here the whole time."
"Watch me."
"You're the Summer Princess Bryn, heir to the throne. Are you really going to let some Winter princeling keep you locked in this room?
I thought about what he said, rolling his words around in my mind as my eyes solely focused on the bland ceiling of the bedroom. He was right of course. I was a princess. Why would I let someone like Sage make me want to stay locked up in a room?
"You're right I guess." I sat up, raking a hand through my long hair, knowing that it was probably a mess after everything, but at the same time not caring. "Now get out of my room and go keep Meghan company. I'm tired." I shooed Puck away, chuckling whenever he bounded out of the room and shut the door behind him. After he was gone I yawned, pulled my leather boots off, and tossed them to the floor before snuggling underneath the blankets and falling right to sleep.
A/N~ Hehe look at me, updating sooner than what I planned! But it's my last week of school, so I plan on doing that more often. ;) I almost accidentally uploaded chapter 10 because I have that written already, and didn't remember if I'd posted chapter 9...So Sage? He's at Chillsorrow manor? Why is he here? Haha ;)
So anywho, if there's anything any of you would like to see happen in this story…well let me know because I'm open to all and any ideas. But for now I must say toodles because I want to get some studying in for my Chem test before I go to bed. =)
