Chapter Three

Ariella woke up with determination, today she was going to go out and actually explore Good Glen. She's been here for over a week and the majority of that was playing cat and mouse with Julian as he always seemed to leave when she enters the room or working and she was all caught up for work now.

"You're up early, any plans?" Minna asked with a smile the moment Ari stepped into the kitchen and sipped her tea.

Shrugging Ari grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. "Might go for a walk along one of the trails Silas mentioned the other day, is it okay if I take some food?"

"Of course dear, there's a sandwich in the fridge already wrapped up for you," Minna said as she returned to her book, completely missing Ariella's surprised and suspicious look.

"How do you know when I'm going out long enough to need food or just need food in general?" She asked as she plucked the sandwich from the shelf and shoved it in an empty pocket of her bag along with an apple and bottle of water.

Minna grinned knowingly at the girl and shrugged. "Just do. Be safe Ari and make sure you're in town before night falls."

Ari nodded to Minna and began to make her way to the door, pausing when Minna called her back. A small huff of laughter escaped her lips as she took in the map that Silas had marked out for her the other day in the diner in Minna's hands.

She followed the map to where the trailhead started; giving those she knew a small wave or a hello as she passed them. Good Glen was a strange town full of wonder but she was beginning to enjoy it here and the people who lived in it, she was honestly considering just selling her home in the city, the one her mother left her and move here.

There was nothing left for her in the city anyway, not since her mother's death and her asshole of an ex taking and destroying the last of her families things and like she said when she first arrived she could work anywhere as long as she had decent Wi-Fi.

A deep sigh escaped her lips as she turned left and began to make her way along the hiking trail that was to lead to a beautiful field overlooking Good Glen, her boots crunching against the snow underneath. Winter was finally setting in hard and everything was beautiful, from the frost-tipped trees to the glistening rooftops in the light of the dawn.

She had never seen a place more beautiful than Good Glen.

"Stop!" A voice called out, shocking her from her thoughts at the suddenness of it all. Her whole body tensed as she felt a warm hand grasp her around the arm and keep her from taking another step.

A snarl built on her lips as she yanked her arm away from the stranger and turned around to throw the punch her fist was itching to throw only to stop when familiar brown eyes caught her own. "Julian? You scared the hell out of me, where did you come from?" She demanded.

Julian took a step back as the fiery woman stared down at him harshly. "Sorry, Ariella but you were about to step into a fairy ring." He explained while pointing to the bare dirt ring before them. There was no snow to cover it even though it had been snowing the night before.

"Fairy ring? It's just dirt?" Ari said with a confused huff as she turned to look at said 'fairy ring'.

A smile tugged at Julian's lips. "To you perhaps but this town is very superstitious and no one dares enter one unless they're descended from the fair folk that reside in the woods. I know it sounds crazy but this place is old and magical, can't you tell from its beauty alone?"

"This... is a strange town," Ariella said slowly. Who was she to judge peoples beliefs? And the town was strange in general so it really doesn't come as a surprise that they as a collective would believe in such tales. "But it is beautiful and the people are wonderful."

"That's good to hear," Julian replied with a laugh.

Blinking Ari turned to him with a cocked brow. "You still didn't tell me where you came from, you scared me."

"I apologise. This path is a favourite of mine and well I was on my way to the overlook when I saw you walk past." Julian explained trying not to step closer as he caught the scent of her perfume. "How did you find this trail?"

"Oh well... uh, Silas?" She explained while holding out the map. "When Minna and I were in town the other week he invited us to lunch, we were talking about the town and sights as I was to be here for a while and well-marked off the map of places to see."

Julian swallowed the growl at the mention of his brother and squashed the jealousy that Silas was able to spend time with Ariella, to get to know the woman better. He'd had the unfortunate luck that whenever he entered a room or place she was just leaving or vice versa but now? She was here and perhaps he could take that chance to know her better.

So he swallowed the bitter taste of jealousy and forced a smile. "Would you like to join me then? I know it seems like we're never in the same room but I'd like to get to know you."

"Oh," surprise lit up Ariella's face at that. "That would be lovely Julian, thank you."

X

The view from the overlook was breathtaking; she could see the town peeking out from between the snow-tipped barren trees, a splash of colour against the grey and white.

"So tell me, what do you do for a living?" Julian asked curiously. "I've seen you tapping away on your laptop some days."

"Oh, I'm a web designer before that I was a bartender." Ari explained, "What about you?"

"My mother is the mayor of Good Glen, I help her sometimes or Minna if she needs an extra hand... pretty much I haven't decided yet and am a pretty handy handyman." Julian chuckled, his smile widening as Ariella began to laugh.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Ari replied with a laugh. "So tell me, why's it so dangerous after dark besides the animals?"

Julian raised his brows at the question and hummed in surprise. How to explain this without actually giving away the secrets of those that lived in this town and the woods surrounding it, how to tell her about the boundary lines between here and Hollow Fields or what he actually has been up to over the last week.

"Well, the towns old and superstitious you know this. They say Fae still live in the woods hence the fairy circles, they dance and help the wood grow. Stories say that the wolves and the bears guard them, make sure they're safe and those they care for are too." Julian started. "That's why the woods aren't safe for strangers at night, the Fae could deem you unsafe and harm will befall you."

Ariella raised her brows at this. "Do you believe the tales or is it just something to scare the tourists?"

"I don't know Ariella, I believe but you know... things also happen to those that don't know the paths." He deflected with a shrug.

Something within Ari refused to accept that answer and she couldn't exactly call why but within a blink, before she could actually open her mouth to question more she found her face full of snow. A hiss escaped her lips as she wiped the icy slush from her face with a glare, "Oh you didn't."

Julian blinked at the furious glare and the taunting smirk; it seemed in his desire to change the mood and questioning that he had unleashed a cunning fox with bloodthirsty intentions of revenge. He took a step back and then another as Ari swooped down and grabbed a handful of snow, her eyes never leaving his.

"You don't know what you just started Julian Paxton but prepare for war." She taunted him with a vicious grin and let the ball in her hand fly, laughter following in its wake as it hit its mark square on covering his face with icy snow.

Booming laughter escaped Julian's lips as he shook off the snow. "Oh Ariella, it's on!"

When the day begins to fade and Julian escorts her home Ariella couldn't keep the smile off her face as she readied herself for bed, fatigue creeping up on her slowly and when she finally crawls under the warm covers sleep easily snatches at her and pulls her down into unconsciousness and into the strange dream that has plagued her.

Except for this time thebear was beside her. Mine.