I remember waking once when I felt something large moving on the bed around me. My eyes fluttered open for a moment to see Caligo and Umbra settling into the bed around me. I also saw Kol sleeping awkwardly on the couch before I fell back asleep.

The next time I woke, Kol was gone from the couch but the two black dogs were still curled up with me. One had laid its head on my stomach and my hand was resting on the other's back. I moved and the one who was lying on my stomach lifted its head and looked at me. It was the one in the red collar. I read the nameplate. "So you are Caligo. Good morning, Caligo." I said softly.

Caligo put his nose in my face and I turned away smiling. I pushed his head away and he lay back down on my stomach while I petted him. The other, Umbra, was still asleep beside me. It seemed the pair of them had warmed to me considerably since our first meeting. The door opened and I froze thinking it may be a servant of maybe Captain Rydell. There was no good explanation for why I was in his son's bed. Luckily, it was Kol coming in with a tray piled high with food. He carefully maneuvered around the door and then closed it with his foot.

"I thought you might be hungry. I have dismissed the servants and cleaning pixies for the day. Are you feeling better? It seems Caligo and Umbra have been taking care of you." He laid the tray down on the bedside table. He sat on the very edge of the bed as far away from me as he could manage.

I smiled. I was feeling much better now that I had slept, but the intense hunger was back in full force. My stomach was twisting painfully at the smell of the food. "I'm feeling much better. Thank you for all that you've done. I don't know what I would have done if you had not helped me."

To my surprise, Kol looked away shyly and picked up the tray. "It's what friends do for each other. Caligo and Umbra, off," He ordered his dogs.

The two dogs jumped off the bed and wandered the room. Kol handed me the tray and I sat placed it over my legs after I had sat up. I didn't think I had ever slept so well. The food looked good and smelled much better. Kol stood and said he would find some more of his sisters clothes that I could wear. He had already gotten rid of the horrible dress from Count Garen. Umbra followed him on his way out. Caligo stayed with me while I ate. At first I just nibbled at the food before my stomach protested mightily and I tucked in with gusto. After the first few bites the change was almost instant. I could feel my body responding to the food and already I had more energy.

By the time Kol returned I had already finished most of the food on the tray and was feeling more like myself. In his arms, he carried a selection of clothes for me to choose from. He was taking such good care of me. The clothes were laid out before me and I picked the simplest dress out of the bunch. His sister Bria seemed to have a taste for eye catching and fashionable clothing. Kol left me to change, saying he had to go and speak with his father.

Even before I was dressed in Bria's old dress, Caligo and Umbra started jumped around me playfully and gently nip at my hands. I swiped at them teasingly and they dodged. Their little tails wagging happily. I smiled and continued to play with them. There was a knock at the door and I called for him to come in. Kol came back and joined me on the floor playing with his dogs. As soon as he knelt down, Umbra knocked him over by jumping on him. Kol laughed and scratched the dog's sides. "These beasts are crazy, I tell you."

Caligo barked once as if in agreement.

We played with the dogs awhile more until Kol and I were sitting side by side leaned up against the couch with Caligo and Umbra lying beside us. It was then that Kol chose to ask what had happened to me.

I blanched at the memories of the things I had done. "Giselle had ruined my dress for the ball and I meant to buy another when someone grabbed me on the street. I never saw their face, but I'm sure it was Garen. He knocked me unconscious and must have slipped me something to make me love him. I remember waking for only a moment in the carriage and seeing him. Then he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and it consumed my thoughts. When I woke up in a strange bed in his house, all I knew was that I had to find him. I did not know where I was or how I got there, but it didn't matter to me. All that mattered was Garen." I shook my head. "I did not even know his name at the time."

As if sensing my distress, Caligo shifted closer to me and rested his head on my thigh. Kol was stroking Umbra when he spoke, "It was a spell that you were under. Something that made you feel obsessed with the first person you laid eyes on. Argie did not know more since she did not know where it came from or who cast it. As soon as I found out I could safely remove you from Garen, I went to his house. No one was there. I looked some places I knew Garen haunted, but when I didn't find you I didn't know what to do. Argie said that you would fight me when I took you away, but once you were away from him the effects should start to fade."

"Garen kept going from one person's house to another after you threatened him at the ball. He must have been scared that you would make good on your promise. We moved around to so many places." I shuttered when I thought of how I sat on Garen's lap happily at the taverns. "I was so cruel to you at the ball. I felt that I hated you and agreed with all the horrible things Garen said about you. I don't believe a word of what I said to you and it makes me sick that I even said those things."

"I know," Kol murmured. "I am just glad you are back to your normal self now and away from that wretch. If he had actually taken care of you and let you sleep and eat then you may still be with him. It was probably the severe fatigue that broke the spell. I am amazed you managed to make it here without collapsing. I cannot imagine the strength it must have taken."

"We were at a house not too far from here that was throwing a party. I was lucky that I happened upon that lion gate or else I probably would have collapsed in the streets." I was not looking at Kol, but down at Caligo resting in my lap.

Kol took a deep breath and said in a brighter tone. "Let's not talk about such morbid things. You are here and you are safe. You can stay as long as you want until you are fully recovered."

I looked at the thick gold ring Kol still wore on his left hand. "Won't Paislee wonder where you are if you stay here all day? Aren't you two planning the wedding?"

Kol chuckled and shook his head. "I told father that I was not feeling well and would need to stay in bed all day, he will surely tell Paislee if he hasn't already sent a messenger. I am leaving the wedding preparations completely up to her. I may end up in some ridiculous pink outfit, but she will be happy. She is more excited for the wedding than I am anyway and should have exactly what she wants."

"She's very lucky to have you. I hope she knows that."

Kol nodded but did not answer. He was willing to do everything just to make Paislee happy even though he was not in love with her. She could not have gotten a better husband. I wondered if Kol knew how extraordinarily kind he was. He seemed to doubt himself.

I yawned. Somehow, I was still tired even after my night of sound sleeping. My eyelids were getting heavy and my thoughts were slowing in my head.

"You still need to rest." Kol said. He stood and helped me up. "Here, you take a nap while I attend to some things."

Kol led me over to the bed and I sat down. "What things do you have to attend to?"

He smiled and gently pushed me back against the pillows. "Nothing that you need to worry about, now get some sleep."

I watched Kol leave before I turned on my side to sleep. It occurred to me that I should not be sleeping in another man's bed and I should return to where I was staying at the inn, but the plush pillows and silky sheets were too comfortable to get up from and soon I was peacefully dreaming.

Writing is hard. I need inspiration but I don't know where to go to find it. Normally there are favorite movie scenes, pictures, songs, books, or old ideas for almost anything in my head, but not for this. I am at a loss.

On the other hand, I did get chapter 70 out of the way at least. Then everything sort of starting dragging in the writing department.