IMPRESS. [Book 1]

Chapter Seventy: The Return to Icilia Part 3.

IMPRESS.

Chapter Seventy: The Return to Icilia.

Part 3.

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When I made it down to the inn's kitchen, I was grateful when I saw a further source light other than moonlight coming from it. Lady Irene must've considered that her guests could potentially get a little thirsty during the night and so thoughtfully, left a few surrounding candles alight.

Although the candles were a screaming fire hazard, the gesture was still nice.

I walked into the kitchen, quietly humming an incoherent tune under my breath and went over to the closest cupboard before reaching up to take a mug down from its high shelf. Mid-reach, I jumped, bringing my hand down to my rapidly beating heart as I whipped around to check if I was anyone else was here.

It must've been some wicked paranoia because when I looked around, nobody was there.

Currently, the only sound I could hear was my own heavy breathing and as I turned back to the cupboard I swallowed worriedly. I really should've woken up Preston and asked him to come down with me because now I'm just hearing things as well as trembling inside and out.

Taking easy breaths I reached for the mug again, and this time I was certain. I was certain I'd heard something and that I wasn't hallucinating anything at all. I balled the hand that was reaching for the mug into a fist, trying to fight the fear of looking behind me.

I know you're probably thinking it could be another guest coming down for a mug of water or tea, but no, I would be able to tell if the person in my presence wasn't a threat. To me, it seemed whoever was creeping up behind me had been lurking around for a while, just watching me from a distance.

Pulling back my hand, I shuddered when the coldest of breezes blew at my hair and nipped at my skin. Earlier I expressed how much the cold didn't bother me anymore but this kind of cool chill I was getting was familiar. It was a different kind of familiar.

I felt my shoulders sink and the rest of my body relax when I recognised where the familiarity came from. I sighed out as the shadow of the one I knew so well cast over me, appearing on the cupboard I stood before. My breath got caught in my throat when their arm grazed mine whilst reaching up for the mug I'd failed twice to retrieve for myself.

"How did you find me?" I asked squeezing my eyes shut from an embarrassment that I didn't understand why I felt. I couldn't look at him because every time I looked at him I got a bad bad feeling. A feeling that Preston wouldn't particularly be fond of.