CHAPTER 5

**WILLOW **

My new home was modest but charming, with its warm red brick exterior and a simple, dark wood front door. It stood two stories high, with a cosy attic window just visible near the roofline. The front yard was small but well-kept, with a few flower beds lining a narrow path and a young maple tree casting a bit of shade across the lawn.

As soon as Jane and Mary started chatting with my mom, and Hugh and Grant moved to unload the moving truck, I seized the moment.

Grabbing one of my smaller book boxes, I darted toward the front door, tugging at Dad's arm and half-dragging him toward the stairs as I begged him to show me my new room.

He laughed, shooting a knowing look to Hugh and Grant, then led me up the stairs to the far end of a long hallway. Pausing before a closed door, he gave me a grin and swung it open.

The moment I stepped in, I froze.

There, beyond my new window, was a breathtaking view of a castle nestled high on a distant mountain. It rose proudly out of a forest of dense pine trees, the stone walls partially shrouded in mist. Behind it, I could just make out a glint of water through the fog, maybe a lake, maybe even the sea. It was hard to tell through the haze, but it was like something from a dream.

"It's beautiful..."

I turned back, ready to throw myself into a hug with Dad, only to find the doorway empty. He’d already slipped out.

Instead, I found myself staring at Alex, who was leaning against the doorframe, his usual smirk in place but thankfully without his axe this time. My irritation flared at his expression; there was something about that smug look that made me want to wipe it off his face.

“That’s Ebonridge Castle,” he said, nodding toward the view. His gaze stayed fixed on the castle as he spoke, his voice dropping to a quiet, almost reverent tone.

“The owner, Alexander Royal, is loaded, but not because he inherited it. Most of his wealth is self-made. The castle’s been in his family for ages, and he’s supposedly some kind of duke. People in town still call him ‘His Grace,’ even if he doesn’t hold the title.

His words hung in the air as I glanced back out the window. There was something about the castle that tugged at my heart and soul, begging me to take a closer look. It felt as if the very essence of the place was calling to me, whispering secrets I needed to uncover.

A wave of confusion and unfamiliar emotions surged through me as I stared at the stone façade. My heart raced, and before I knew it, my hand instinctively pressed against my chest, feeling it pound relentlessly under my fingertips. Something about the castle was pulling me in, stirring something deep inside I couldn’t quite understand.

What was it about this castle that made me feel so drawn, so compelled? It was as if a part of me knew something was waiting inside, something I needed to find. Unable to shake this inexplicable urge, I turned back to Alex, still grappling with the strange connection I felt to the distant structure.

"It's breathtaking”

Alex’s gaze shifted to me, and for the first time since we’d met, his smirk softened into a genuine smile.

“Yes, it is. Even though the castle has an incredible library filled with rare books, and I’d love to explore the dungeons and hidden passages where they say pirates were executed and strange creatures were kept, I want the scholarship.” His words held a kind of intensity that surprised me, and I found myself nodding as I turned back to the view.

The castle loomed large and mysterious, perched high on the mountain like a relic from another world. What did Alex mean by “creatures”? I felt my feet inching forward, almost as if drawn by some invisible pull, and before I knew it, I was at the window, sliding it open for a closer look.

How many rooms did that place have?

My eyes roamed along the rows of windows, their dark shapes barely visible through the mist. But then, one window caught my attention.

Someone was watching me.

My breath stilled as I made out the outline of a tall figure, unmistakably masculine, even from this distance.

He was standing near a window, dressed in what looked like a white shirt. I couldn’t see his face clearly, but his presence was intense, unsettling even, and I felt a prickling at the back of my neck as his gaze locked onto mine, unwavering and steady.

“Hey, Alex, come here!” I whispered urgently, waving him over. He gave me a look of pure confusion but stepped forward all the same.

“Did you just call me… Alex?” He sounded half-offended, but the trace of humour in his tone hinted that he didn’t entirely mind.

I didn’t reply, barely able to take my eyes off the man in the window. As Alex joined me, I pointed, hoping he could see what I was seeing.

A strange chill passed through me.

“Can you see the man?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, urgency lacing my tone.

“What man? I don’t see anyone,” Alex replied, squinting as he peered toward the castle.

But when I glanced back, the figure was gone, leaving only an empty window against the grey stone.

“He was just there! I swear!”

He frowned at me for a moment, scepticism etched across his face, but then the smile returned, warm and disarming.

“You, must be imagining things…”

I glance back at the castle, my eyes tracing its silhouette. I could have sworn I saw something…

“How about I help you decorate your room instead?” His offer was genuine, and I noticed a spark of real interest in his eyes as he suggested we tackle the mess together.

I tucked a loose strand of brown hair behind my ear, grateful for the distraction. Sorting through all my boxes and setting up my room alone would have taken forever.

“Let’s do this,” I replied, a grin breaking through my earlier unease. The prospect of turning my new space into something uniquely mine suddenly felt a little less daunting with Alex’s help.

As we moved further into the room, I couldn't shake the memory of the stranger in the castle, but for now, I was focused on creating a new beginning.