Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
SELENE
Maeve, Rian, and I had gone to work once we’d finished giving him a tour of the castle.
But the damned window was still open, forcing me to listen to Bren, Cormac, and Eireann chat outside the castle, laughing and joking about old times for more than an hour.
I had no evidence Bren was attracted to Eireann, but she’d been more than a little flirtatious with him.
As much as I’d tried to ignore them, I couldn’t.
The worst thing was that Bren had been much more open with Eireann than he’d been all but a few times with me. The way they talked drove home exactly how distant Bren had become. I’d convinced myself he came across as chilly because he was a reserved, serious person with a lot on his shoulders.
But I discovered I’d been incredibly wrong with my assumptions. And it left an unexpected ache deep in my heart. I knew I was the one who’d kissed him first, thinking it was all a dream. But he’d allowed it, and then he’d teased me into kissing him again a second time.
I’d never expected to find that kind of chemistry with anyone. And it wasn’t one-sided. So, what the hell happened? I’d thought maybe he was taking things slow, when really, he wasn’t headed anywhere at all.
If working on Mystwood Castle wasn’t my dream job, I’d resign to save myself the constant questioning. Instead, the only thing I could do was focus on my work, and now that several hours had passed since the outside trio had dispersed, that was much easier.
The scent of fresh plaster lingered in the air as I stepped back from the fireplace and studied our work. Maeve and Rian did the same, all of us wearing a similar pleased expression.
Sunlight streamed through the leaded windows, catching the pale repairs Maeve and I had spent the past several days working to complete. Rian just helped push us past the finish line, and the success was a shot of satisfaction.
The massive stone hearth looked entirely different from when I’d first arrived weeks ago. The soot-blackened carvings had emerged. The cracked mortar had been repaired, and the few damaged stones carefully replaced.
For the first time, the fireplace looked whole again.
Maeve wiped her hands on her trousers and tipped her head back to admire the carved stonework above the mantel. “That’s a beautiful piece of work, if I do say so myself.”
I grinned, proud of what we’d accomplished. The fireplace had another few centuries ahead of it, and knowing I’d helped make that possible filled me with quiet satisfaction. I’d added my touch to what others had labored to build years ago and kept their efforts alive for more generations to enjoy.
Nearby, Rian scribbled on his notepad, drawing my attention. I squinted but couldn’t read it. “What are you writing?”
He glanced up. “Just documenting the final repairs.”
I nodded approvingly. Good. The castle deserved proper records.
I returned my attention to the fireplace while he continued writing, basking in my satisfaction. Until I wasn’t.
A familiar unease settled low in my chest and grew by the second. I thought of not saying anything, but my mind wouldn’t let it be. “Hmm…”
Maeve jerked her gaze toward me and chastised me with a shake of her head.
I opened my hands wide in silent communication. There had to be a way to fix what bothered me without tipping off Rian. I gave her a reassuring nod. “There’s something.”
She grimaced and then sighed. “Don’t tell me we…missed something. It can’t be. Look how beautiful it is.”
Disappointment rose within me too. I agreed with everything Maeve said, but my gut argued otherwise.
Rian looked between us, confused. “Is something wrong? It looks like a highly professional restoration to me.”
Maeve nodded. “Exactly.”
I shook my head but didn’t respond.
She laughed lightly. “Selene has a professional eye for things others miss. I’m sure you’ll develop yours as you get more experience.”
I caught Rian’s nod from the corner of my eye and glanced to check his expression. He seemed interested and not suspicious, so I continued my examination, lightly tapping around the fireplace while letting my instincts guide where I looked next. “Give me just a minute.”
Maeve continued chatting, likely to distract him from my odd behavior. I half-listened to her doing her best. But now that I understood what caused those feelings, I’d never doubt myself again.
I just needed to ensure I didn’t do or say anything that seemed otherworldly in front of our new coworker. I’d discover the issue and then use the tools of my trade to explain it.
Rian frowned. “I get what you’re saying, Maeve, but I don’t get what Selene thinks is wrong. Did we miss something?”
The feeling persisted. “I don’t think we did anything wrong exactly. But remember, Maeve, we’d wondered about this area.”
She nodded eagerly. “That’s true. We did.”
I studied the repaired masonry. The lintel. Then the joints and the surrounding wall. Everything appeared sound.
And yet—
Something drew my gaze to the left. Then farther left. I tapped the wall with my knuckles as I moved closer, focusing on the space next to the fireplace. The uneasy sensation sharpened, and I continued tapping. The wall sounded solid, so I moved several inches and tried again. “I found it.”
I placed my palm against the plaster to confirm, acting as if my action was only to show the spot. “There’s something different here.”
“There?” Rian asked in a low voice. “Do you mean the plaster?”
He moved in beside me and tapped the wall several times himself before furrowing his brow. “You’re right. That’s odd.”
Maeve snorted. “Look at you already advancing.”
Rian cast her a quick glance, his eyes alight with fascination. “The wall sounds different here.”
I smiled in approval. “We should have looked closer before writing it off.”
He shrugged. “No time like the present.”
Maeve groaned. “You’re going to open the wall, aren’t you? Then we’ll have to fix it.”
I shot a glance over my shoulder. “Don’t you want to know what’s causing it?”
She rolled her eyes and then nodded. “I suppose I do. I was just really enjoying that feeling of being done.”
I chuckled. “We’ll just open a small section.”
Fifteen minutes later, dust coated all three of us. The opening we’d carefully cut into the plaster revealed stonework unlike anything else we’d discovered.
We stepped back and stared.
Maeve spoke first. “Well.”
Rian leaned forward. “Interesting.”
I had to agree. Behind the plaster was another layer of stonework. I traced a finger along the exposed edge. “An arch. It appears it was added after the initial construction.”
Rian nodded immediately. “I agree.”
I glanced at him. “Do you know much about arches?”
He flashed a grin. “I spent far too much time studying medieval arches at university.”
I nodded, impressed.
Rian studied it for a long moment. “That’s strange.”
Maeve leaned in. “What?”
I added a question instead of answering hers. “This arch is much larger than it needs to be. Any idea why?”
Rian shrugged. “No clue.”
I studied the exposed stonework again, and a section near the base caught my eye. My pulse quickened. “Oh.”
I pointed at the anomaly. “Look, the mortar’s different here.” Then I exhaled, realizing I hadn’t discovered anything that would put the fireplace out of alignment. “Though maybe it’s nothing to worry about.”
Rian disagreed with a shake of his head, his expression full of excitement. “You’re right in calling it out, Selene. I think someone misunderstood the original design.”
He pointed at the different mortar. “This shouldn’t be filled. I believe it was meant to be an open gap.”
Maeve looked unconvinced. “A gap?”
“Buildings move,” Rian explained. “Very slightly. Especially old ones.” He traced the curve of the hidden arch and then the newer mortar. “It seems somebody came along centuries later and filled part of the pressure path.”
I stared at it with renewed interest. The crack pattern suddenly made sense. It hadn’t appeared because the original builders got it wrong. Someone later had.
I smiled slowly. “Let’s see if removing the mortar from the gap fixes things.”
Rian’s blue eyes lit with admiration. “It’s amazing that you knew. I’m in awe.”
An uneasy tingle slid over my skin, and Maeve’s expression dropped. The warning her grandmother had said about ward witches crept in. It’s best not to be telling the world of it.
I forced a carefree smile. “You’ll see things like this too someday. It just takes time.”
Maeve donned a similar expression. “That’s the truth of it. All right. Let’s get back to work. We have a hole to fix.”
By late afternoon, we’d completed the repair, and the strange pressure I’d been carrying disappeared, though I didn’t say that part out loud. Rian gathered his things and left before us, needing to meet the owner of his rental before it got too late.
Maeve and I cleaned our tools and returned to the finished fireplace to admire our work once more. The faint hum beneath the castle had eased like a breath finally released. I exhaled my relief too.
My friend glanced sideways, speaking softly. “I think I feel it, Selene. Here in the quiet, with no distractions. It feels finished.”
I widened my eyes in surprise as my heart squeezed. “Seriously?”
She nodded. “Maybe not in the way you do. But I sense the change. I think the castle is happy with our work.”
“Me too.” I didn’t know if Maeve was speaking literally or not, but I believed the grand lady was pleased.
A sense of peace filled me, and I realized I hadn’t felt anything similar since arriving in Killarney.
“I didn’t think I’d like Rian. His uncle is something of a jerk and was not in favor of hiring me.
But Rian seems different. I don’t get the sense he’s anything other than what he seems. He knows his stuff and seems genuinely interested in gaining experience. ”
Maeve pulled the hair tie from her strands, releasing her fiery curls. “And why wouldn’t he? Mystwood Castle is well-known. A young guy fresh from university with that on his resume? It’ll look impressive.”
She met my gaze with a smile in her eyes. “We’ll get along well. He’s cute and funny and loves restoration. What’s not to like?”
I agreed. It would be incredibly sad and disappointing if we were wrong. “He knew a lot about that arch. Nice that he has that specialty.”
Maeve retrieved our coats and bags from the worktable and returned with a frown. “I still don’t understand why someone added a pressure chamber there.”
I looked back toward the fireplace. “Neither do I, but it seems whoever did it knew exactly what they were doing.”
Maeve shrugged and linked her arm with mine, drawing me toward the door. “Who knows? Maybe it’s one of those things that will remain a mystery.”
I chuckled as we headed out. “Old buildings always surprise you. It seems every generation leaves something behind for the next to puzzle over. Maybe we’ll figure it out.”