Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
“I couldn’t keep telling myself it was just theoretical, and that no harm would come from it. The science fascinated me, but the implications of what we were trying to do were just too potentially damaging. After I quit the internship, I planned on taking a semester or two off. I wanted time to regroup, and to figure out where else I might fit in the field of genetics. But two months later my grandfather died, and as the last surviving Harington, all of this went to me.” He gestured at our surroundings. “It’s been a hell of a lot of responsibility, so grad school fell by the wayside.”
“You’re the last in the line? You mentioned a cousin,” Sam said.
“Grady is my cousin on my mom’s side. There are plenty of Frasiers. It’s the Haringtons that have nearly gone extinct.”
“Is that because of the thing in the woods?”
“My monster? I don’t know. My parents died in a plane crash, so he probably wasn’t responsible for that, but a lot of tragedy befell earlier generations of my family. If he really is some kind of forest spirit or guardian, it makes sense that he’d go after people who made a fortune in timber.”
I’d never heard of anything like that, except for fairy tales. But it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.
After dinner, Arden said, “It’s probably going to be a couple more hours until the coven gets here. Grady’s trying to gather them, but it’s a lot like herding cats. I’ll show you to your room, so you can rest up while we wait for them.”
We went upstairs by way of a narrow staircase just off the kitchen. When I commented that the front of the house was a lot different than the back, Arden explained, “The kitchen and this stairwell were meant for the servants, so they didn’t have to be impressive. It wasn’t like my great-great grandparents or their guests ever came back here.”
At the top of the stairs, he flipped a light switch and pointed at an open doorway. “That’s my bedroom. This block of rooms is the only part of the house I was allowed to redecorate. But if you want the full Pine Grove experience, you’re welcome to select any of the dark, creepy rooms in the north wing.”
“This is more our speed,” Sam said. “Not that we’re picky.” I nodded in agreement.
We followed Arden past a game room and a media room before reaching a gorgeous, sage green bedroom. It had a big four-poster bed, a cozy seating area, and an elegant fireplace, and it reminded me of a luxury hotel suite.
“Since you’re obviously a couple, I’m assuming you two want to share a room,” Arden said. “If I’m wrong, there’s another bedroom right next door.”
“You’re right, we want to bunk together,” Sam said, “and this room is amazing. Thank you.”
“Yeah, no problem. I’ll be in my room if you need anything, and I’ll come get you when the coven arrives. The more people who participate, the stronger the wards will be.”
After he left, we kicked off our shoes and climbed onto the bed. Something dug into my hip, so I shifted my weight and took my glasses out of my pocket. As I put them on the nightstand, I said, “I can’t believe I don’t need those anymore. I’ve been wearing glasses since I was six, but he fixed me, just like that. He didn’t even ask what was wrong with my eyes first.”
“It’s wild. I’m so used to seeing you in glasses.” Sam and I gravitated into each other’s arms, and he kissed my forehead. After we both settled in, he asked, “How do you feel about staying here for a while?”
“It seems like a good decision, much better than being on the road and trying to find random places to stay.”
“So, you trust Arden?”
“I do. I have a good feeling about him. Also, he fully understands the threat Rosselin poses, so I believe he’s going to do everything he can to stop him,” I said. “I think we got lucky and stumbled across an ally, which is exactly what we needed.”
“Agreed. I’m not sure what to make of the monster in the woods, though.”
“Me, neither. All I know is, I’m definitely not going on any moonlight strolls, even though it sounds like a fairy tale. Have you ever heard of such a thing as a forest guardian?”
Sam grinned. “Only The Lorax.”
“Judging by Arden’s description, this isn’t that, unless Dr. Seuss got it very wrong.”
“It’s like the gritty reboot.” Sam deepened his voice to sound like he was doing a movie trailer voiceover. “Sexy Lorax, Seeker of Justice. He’ll destroy you like you destroyed the forest, and he’ll look damn hot while doing it.”
That made me laugh. “I could totally see someone making that movie.”