Fall - Prequel

11. Lost and Found

The warm sunshine felt foreign against my skin after spending so much time in the cold, dark halls of the estate.

It had only been a few hours since I'd last been outside, but to me, it felt like a few years. When I stepped foot into that exquisite mansion, I truly doubted I'd ever walk back out of it. I thought I'd be carried out in a body bag or worse.

I kept my eyes closed while I glanced up at the sun, letting its warm rays seep into the pores of my skin. Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes, chancing a glance at Prince. He was standing in the middle of the elegant veranda, his gray eyes squinted together as he examined the property carefully. I wasn't sure what he was looking for, but whatever it was, he didn't seem to find it.

He ran a hand through his light brown hair, leaning against one of the white columns on the porch. He crossed his legs in front of him, giving his muscles a chance to relax before he went on a long road trip. He didn't tell me where he was going, but I knew it was far away. Judging by his tan skin, he was probably going somewhere on the west coast. He didn't look like he belonged under the gloomy clouds of Vermont.

I took a seat on top of the grand staircase that lead to the veranda, feeling the cold concrete press against the back of my legs. The sun was just starting to set in the west, adding splashes of color to the blue sky. Shades of orange and yellow mixed with blue to create a stroke of purple in the translucent clouds. As if it couldn't get any prettier, a flock of red birds soared through the colorful sky, guiding each other home.

I couldn't help but feel jealous of them. I wanted someone to take me home. It was only then—in the shadow of the setting sun— that I realized I never really had a home to begin with. I grew up in a broken home and I'd been running away from it ever since I was a young child.

For a long time, that's all I ever really wanted. To get away. But now that I was away, I just wanted to go back to the house I'd left so many times. I'd spent so much time running away and now all I wanted was to take a few steps back and retreat. It was too late for that though.

I was here... and I was going to stay here until Everet let me leave. If I was being honest with myself, I wasn't sure if that day would ever come.

"You know what my mother once told me?" Prince stepped forward slowly, taking a seat next to me. Our knees brushed together as he sat down on the stairs. I turned away, breaking the brief contact our bodies had made. "Even the darkest days must come to an end. Nothing lasts forever, not even your own sorrow."

"I'm not sad." I crossed my arms over my chest defiantly, letting out a sigh that held the weight of the world. Maybe I was. Honestly, I didn't know what the hell I was anymore. "I'm just lost."

"Maybe you can find yourself here." He watched the sunset as a golden glow washed over his eyes. When he looked back down, his dark, sooty eyelashes nearly touched his cheeks. "If you look hard enough."

"I've been looking for nineteen years and I still haven't found what I'm looking for." I stared down at my feet, tapping the tips of my shoes together slowly. My words had left a sour taste in my mouth. I wasn't even sure what I was looking for, but a part of me thought that I'd never find it.

"You still have time." His lips parted into a warm smile, exposing his perfect teeth. I'd never get over his boyish grin. Prince looked so nice and normal, but I knew he really wasn't. In fact, he was the furthest thing from it. He was a murderer who committed unforgivable sins, and yet, he had the smile of an innocent. "One of the greatest mistakes you can make in this life is giving up before you even start."

"You should really consider a change in your career." My lips pulled in a smile to mimic his own. I shook my head in bemusement, pushing him in the shoulder playfully. "You'd be an excellent therapist."