The Mysterious Benedict Society Meets the Mysterious Miss F

Chapter 21

Constance did not know what a Swan Song was, but it didn't sound good. Her thoughts were a mess, Joseph's words confusing. "She... she knew but why... why would she still go to the Neverseen that night?"

"Because she thought she could make it out. She thought she could take out the Neverseen from the inside. And because... maybe deep down, she didn't quite trust what I had told her. She had to see it for herself." Joseph sighed.

"I still don't get it." Constance said bluntly.

"You know what? It'd be easier if I show you." Joseph looked at Bex and Constance. "Are any of you a telepath?"

"Yes." Constance said, then added, "I'm not very trained, but I do think I'm rather good at knowing everyone else's business."

"Then you'll be glad to know this. I give you permission to enter my mind-"

"Aren't you a telepath?" Bex asked Joseph. "Can't you record it on paper? In a book of some sort?"

"Me?! A telepath? Heavens no." Joseph looked genuinely confused, but then seemed to relax as if he had just thought of something else.

"Marella's father said you were a telepath." Bex countered.

"And Mr. Forkle didn't correct me when I mentioned you were one." Constance added.

"Marella who? Redek?" When they nodded, he continued, "I was undercover, remember? Of course her dad didn't know my ability. Telepath was another cover-up story for when I joined the Black Swan. Only Mr. Forkle knows I'm not. And, seeing as we trust each other, I am pleased to know he didn't tell you." Joseph finished. "Now, would you like to see what really happened, or not?"

"Yes." Constance said eagerly. She dived deep into Joseph's mind.

...

A man stood on the edge of an ocean. It stretched endlessly and never ceased to amaze him. He shifted in his black robes, the white eye on his sleeve glaring in all directions.

His grey-blue eyes waited for her, searching for her. His foot tapped in nervous rhythms, syncing with the crashing ocean waves. The sand was black and in the distance, a beautiful house stood on the rocks. An escape, he figured. He would have liked to escape here, in all those thousands of years he'd been alive. It was a shame really, that he had never heard of the Shores of Sholace. He figured he would've spent many days here to escape the cruel state of his position. Heck, he would've stayed here everyday of his life if it weren't for certain commitments he had made the past couple of years. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He scolded himself. If only he had hidden his emotions, guarded himself the way he always had. None of this would be happening.

But he could not deny it: he would never go back and change his interactions with her. He would never change the way he had first met her. How stubborn and teasing she had acted. How she always pushed him way out of his comfort zone. How she looked at him, not as some random elf quietly observing everything going on around him, but as an elf with purpose, importance, and... love. Love. That was the word for it. That was the word for how Jolie felt about him. That was the way he felt about her. He loved her.

He still does. He always will.

But she deserved better. He had lied to her. He had deceived her. Everything about him was fake... except for his feelings towards her. And he had to tell her eventually. He knew he would. He just wasn't expecting it to be so soon.

"Hello, Brant. Or should I say Joseph." A voice, cold and wicked, said from behind him. He turned away from the ocean and back towards the sandy beach. The wind started to pick up and sand blew into his already jet-black hair.