THE DRAGON, OR CAELAN, lead her through a patch of houses, toward the outskirts of town again. Most of the houses seemed to be similar in construction, built with the same stone walls and dark wooden roofs. Each had a garden surrounding it, filled with various plants and animals. Chickens reigned supreme, roaming the roads as they pleased.
Ravenna didn't like the chickens. And the chickens didn't like Ravenna either.
"Are we almost there?" she grumbled under her breath, walking briskly away from a particularly feisty chicken. Its feathers ruffled as it sunk back down against the earth, glowering at her.
Caelan seemed mildly amused. "Almost."
She scowled. The houses around them started to thin out, replaced with larger, more expansive areas of farmland. A few houses spotted the land. These houses were larger than the ones she'd seen previously, and more elaborate. "Who lives in these?"
Caelan turned down another path. He gestured with a hand toward a nearby house. "A majority of these homes are second homes, or vacation homes, for the lords of nearby cities."
"They look expensive," Ravenna remarked.
"They are," he said. He pointed toward a house that sat farther down on the path, half concealed behind a forest of bluebird berries. "That is mine. We will stay there for now."
Her eyes widened. She observed the house as they approached it. It was larger than the others, yet consisted of the same smooth stones and darkened wooden trimmings. The differences were very subtle in nature; a simple crooked window, a half-broken step, and a patch of vines crawling toward the side of the house. It was those differences that made the house seem more approachable, more homey to her.
The dragon easily stepped over the broken step and slowed to a stop, glancing back over his shoulder. He held out a hand to Ravenna. She took it, surprised by the action, and he helped her step over the jagged wood. Without a word, Caelan stepped onto the porch area, slowing to a stop in front of the front door. He waved a hand. The doorknob began to jingle. The door unlocked and swung open, to reveal the dark innards of the house.
She followed him inside, her arms folded across her chest. Her gaze flickered around. "This is nice," she said. The inside was fairly plain compared to what she had expected. The entrance consisted of a foyer, which was broken by a massive wooden staircase. Twisted iron rails decorated the sides of the staircase and an elaborate sword was fastened to the wall just beside the door. An archway to their immediate right lead to another room. It housed a hearth and a massive wooden table. Plants spotted the table and the various shelves that lined the room.
"You can explore later," Caelan told her. He stood at the base of the staircase. "We both must rest. I apologize however. The rooms have not been cleaned in a while. I was forced to fire the maid a while ago."
"What happened?"
An annoyed expression plagued his features. "She attempted to steal one of the many magical artifacts that decorate this home. I'd rather not discuss it further."
Ravenna pursed her lips. She glanced around again. On the other side of the foyer, another archway opened up, revealing an elaborate dining room.
"This way," he said.
She tore her attention away from the house and followed him up the staircase. Each stair creaked the moment she put her weight on it. As she reached the landing, she glanced around. The second story consisted of a small lounge room, complete with a seating area and some bookshelves. A hallway stretched to her right, separating the multitude of bedrooms. Most of the doors were shut, making it impossible to snoop further.
Caelan stopped in front of the second door in the hallway and waved a hand. The door opened, creaking louder than the stairs did. Ravenna glanced around inside the room. It was larger than her room at the tavern, yet not as colorful. Windows spotted two walls of the room, allowing an abundance of sunlight to brighten the room. A massive bed was situated directly opposite of the door, covered in dark sheets and pillows. Small dressers were set up on either side of the bed. A few larger dressers were pressed against the walls of the room, along with an empty bookshelf. A somewhat comfortable looking chair sat just beside the bookshelf, a thin wooden table situated beside it.
"Make yourself at home," he said. He gestured toward the room. "I can not promise that we will stay here for long, but this room is yours to manipulate as you please in the meantime."
"Thank you," she said. She stepped into the room. This room seemed to be a lot brighter than the one at the tavern, and more open. She walked toward the bed and set her bag down.
Caelan remained in the doorway, leaning against its frame. His arms were folded across his chest, his facial expression pinched. "Did you sleep well at the tavern?" he asked after a few moments of silence.
Ravenna met his gaze, her brows furrowed. "What do you mean?" she asked. "I don't require much sleep."
His lips pressed into a firm line. He shook his head and pushed away from the door frame. "Never mind me," he said. "I will be in my study if you need me."
She frowned as he disappeared from the doorway. Her gaze shifted toward one of the windows and focused on the expanse of trees that laid beyond it. It was the second time the dragon had mentioned something about the tavern at night. She wondered whether he was aware of the existence of the ghost girl.
Shuddering, Ravenna turned away from the window and plucked her new spell book from her bag. She moved to the small seating area and plopped down in the chair.
Her fingertips grazed the sides of the book. This time, the lock was not present.
She opened the book and started with the first page, just as she had the last time. It looked entirely different from the last time she'd looked at it, filled with even weirder symbols and words. Her brow furrowed with confusion as she stared at the words.
She couldn't read them. The symbols didn't seem to even belong to the English language.
With a scowl, she closed the book again and set it aside. She'd have to look at it again later, when the book actually felt ready to disclose its contents with her.
Ravenna reluctantly decided to leave the room and explore. As she emerged from her room, she glanced around. Caelan was nowhere in sight. She moved up and down the hallway first, twisting the knob to each door. Each door was locked. She moved into the lounge area and poked around, examining the multitude books that overflowed their bookshelves. There was so much more to this house than there had been back at the cabin, and it made her wonder why he even bothered living at the former.
She found the dragon downstairs, in a secluded room near the back of the house. Like the other rooms, its walls were filled with windows, and natural light poured through. Caelan sat in front of a desk, several books open in front of him.
A frown graced her features. He seemed more human now, compared to when she had first met him. It was almost as if he was more comfortable around her.
Caelan didn't look up as he asked, "Snooping around yet?"
She entered the study and looked around. "I can't help it. Curiosity is in my nature."
This time he did look up at her. He rolled his eyes. "Humans are so predictable."
She folded her arms across her chest. "What did you mean when you asked whether or not I slept well at the tavern?"
His gaze dropped. "It was nothing of importance."
Ravenna's gaze narrowed. "You are hiding something."
"I am hiding many things."
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. An exasperated huff escaped her. "While I was at the tavern, I was visited by a ghost. I was just wonder if that was what you meant."
Caelan stood and turned toward her. His expression was guarded. "What did this ghost look like?"
"It was a little girl."
His lips curled. "I suspected as much," he murmured under his breath. His arms folded across his chest as he stared intently at the floorboards. "Did she say anything to you?"
Ravenna shrugged. "I met her twice. Once outside of the cabin, where she asked to play a game with me. The second time was in my room. She told me that I would die in that room, that he would kill me."
"That who would kill you?"
"She didn't elaborate," she answered. She watched Caelan drum his fingers against his desk and a crease formed between her brows. "Who is the ghost girl?"
He seemed reluctant to answer. "It is a very long and complicated story," he said. "Just promise me that if you meet her again, that you will not accept her game invitation. It is essentially a death sentence."
Ravenna scowled. "I still want to know who she is."
He turned his gaze to meet hers. His eyes were sad. "She is a ghost of my past. Of Vyses' as well. Our history is not easily explained. Just trust me on this matter."
She closed her eyes. "I will leave it alone for now," she said. "Though I still expect an explanation."
Rain began to pitter-patter against the windows. Ravenna glanced toward the outside world, not surprised at the torrent of rain that darkened the landscape. Streaks of lightning flashed across the clouds. As the light faded and exploded once again, a familiar face was caught within the light, peering through the glass. Ravenna shuddered.
Caelan heaved a sigh. "She's listening," he announced quietly. "Let's move to the kitchen. I'm hungry."