Everglade: The Underaged

Chapter Seven

Me? A Telepath? Am I sure I heard you right?"

YOU'RE A TELEPATH! Roared through his head.

"Alright, I'm a Telepath."

Told you.

"Speak out loud, please." His Griffin squeaked and an image of a dead duckling came into Luke's head. He looked at her. The duckling appeared again. Clearer.

"Let's go to breakfast, before we're late." Isabella said. They began to walk down the hall. The Griffin toddled along behind them.

"What are you going to name her?" Isabella asked.

"I don't know yet." Luke looked at the Griffin toddling behind him. She stopped and squeaked at him, cocking her tiny head. Luke was unsure if he was worthy of such a high honor of having an egg. Let alone a Griffin. Griffins were the most hoped for in 15 year olds. He'd taken someone else's chance at a Griffin. He didn't deserve this Griffin. They arrived at the dining hall. The Griffin stopped and sat down with a low whine. Luke looked at her. She whined again. A worm's eye view image of the hallway appeared in Luke's head.

"What's wrong?" Isabella asked him.

"I think she's scared to go in." Luke said. "She feels small, really small because this place is so big." Luke tried to communicate safe to her. It didn't work.

It's okay, I'm here. Luke thought to her. She whined at him. She sent him an image of her in his arms. He picked her up. She huddled against his chest. He stroked her head. She closed her eyes and purred.

"Better now?" Luke asked his Griffin. She nuzzled him. "I'll take that as a yes." They went inside the dining hall. He felt his Griffin shake in fear.

It's safe. I'm here. As long as I'm with you, you're safe. He thought of her. She stopped shaking. The Earl looked at them.

"Luke, Isabella good morning. Sleep well, Luke?" He said.

"Yes, thanks again for letting me stay." The Earl noticed Luke's Griffin.

"Your egg hatched." He observed.

"Yes, mi'lord, she did."

"So, it's a female?"

"Yes, milord."

"Hmmm." Luke didn't like the sound of that. It made him feel unsettled. He sat down at the table in the same spot that he'd sat in the night before and set his Griffin in his lap. Isabella sat next to her mother. There was an assortment of food on the table.

But, before he could choose what to eat, the Earl noticed how Isabella looked ready to explode.

"Yes, Isabella?" he asked her.

"Luke's a Telepath!" Isabella blurted.