Page 23

I have to admit that I am weirdly nervous as I reach the hallway and turn toward the painting. There is a part of me that feels like it may have disappeared, which wouldn’t be a massive deal since the guys saw it too, and so I wouldn’t be questioning whether it actually exists, but it would be disappointing since I want to see it again.

It’s only when I’m standing in front of the portrait and smiling up at it that I remember that I took a photo of it on my phone, and so I could look at it on there if it had disappeared.

My mind stills as I study them, they look happy, really happy. They seemed to be happy in the way that they interacted with each other when we saw them in the vision. I like that. I was also a big fan of the way that theydealt with their people, those that they were directly involved with, and those out on the front lines. The queen, especially, couldn’t wait to get back out to fight alongside her people, and she certainly wasn’t dressed like any queen that I have seen depicted before. She was dressed in a similar way to the way that I do when I go on a job. Except that she was dressed in leather and had swords.

So fucking cool.

“We really have to stop meeting this way,” Ribit’s voice makes me jump, and she laughs.

I give her the side eye treatment, trying to hide my amusement as I say, “You know I’m starting to think that you do that on purpose and for your own amusement.”

She shrugs, “I’m not going to admit to that,” her smile widens, “but I won’t deny it either.”

I grin, “Smart woman.”

She courtesy’s, “Why thank you.”

I chuckle and then say, “I wanted to apologize for how weird I acted last time we spoke. I would love to tell you that I’m not normally that weird, but that would be a lie.”

She smiles, “Don’t worry about it. I prefer weird people. They tend to freak out less when they realize that I’m dead. Although not many people have been able to talk to me like you do.”

The way that she is watching me tells me that she has phrased her sentence that bluntly on purpose, to see my reaction.

“Mabel did mention that you were a ghost. I have to say that I was surprised, especially since I was able to shake your hand,” I reply honestly.

Her eyebrows rise, “Trust me, no one was as surprised as I was about that.”

I pull a face, “So that hasn’t happened before?”

She shakes her head, “Nope, that was a first for me.” Watching me curiously, she adds, “Want to see if it was a one-off?”

I nod, smiling as I can easily see how excited she is to try again, “Sure, I don’t see why not.”

She holds her hand out to me, unable to hide her anxiety, and I find myself really hoping that I can shake her hand again, for her sake. Even if it means that there is something really weird about me. If I’m being honest, I came to terms with my utter weirdness decades ago.

As my hand closes around hers, and her expression lights up with genuine happiness, I can’t help but smile along with her.

“Well I’ll be damned,” she mutters after a moment, when she finally drops my hand.

“I told you I was weird,” I grin.

“And I told you that you were the best kind of weird, there’s the proof.”

“Thanks. I wonder why I can touch you though, you’re a spirit, and as you said, I shouldn’t be able to,” I ponder.

She frowns, “I wish that I could answer you, but it has never happened before, and I’ve been hanging around this castle for centuries.”

My eyes widen, “Wow, that long? I bet you’ve seen some interesting things.”

Her confused expression turns into a mischievous smile, “Oh, I absolutely have. I could tell you stories that would shock the shit out of you. Especially since most people can’t see me, so they don't know that I’m around.”

“I definitely want to hear some of those,” I reply, with a grin.

She frowns slightly, “I’m not actually sure what I am allowed to tell you.”

I nod, “That’s okay. I don’t want you to get in trouble or anything.”

“I’m surprised you aren’t watching your gorgeous men,” she adds, changing the subject. I give her an amused raised eyebrow look, and shegrins, “What? I may be dead, but I’m not blind. They’re the nicest eye candy we’ve had around here for a long time.”