The Secrets of The Soul Wanderer (In

Chapter 13

My school heard about my 'sisters' death and I decided to take a gap year. To my suprise the school agreed, I packed up my stuff in my suitcase and I didn't care about Isabelle terrorising anyone. It was a normal thing with school. I hugged Zoe and Frankie goodbye, I wanted to show affection to Frankie but I no longer loved her anymore. I left the campus feeling empty, the only person that cared about ky departure was Zoe. Before I could leave the campus perimeter, I heard Zoe running after me saying, "wait, hold on Claire!" I stopped and looked at her, she was holding a sort of trinket.

With panting breath she said, "Wow you're a fast walker, just want to say that whatever it is you're dealing with please call me ok."
She gave me a torn piece of paper with her mobile number, I put it in my jean pocket and calmly said "thank you, Zoe I was so wrong about you." Zoe nudged my right arm, and in a cheeky manner said "it's ok I thought you were dead when I found you. But its ok, I know you'll return you're like my superhero. I owe you more than my number and this," before I could correct her on referring me to a 'superhero' she gave me a little wood carving, resembling a wolf.
"This is what my grandma gave me before she passed, it has given me good luck and I think you should have it." Zoe solemnly said all of this with her eyes swelling a little, I took the little wooden wolf. It was beautifully cut with extreme skill and precision. "Thank you Zoe, I appreciate all you've done recently. I wish we meet again soon when all of this blows over."
I gave her a hug and thanked her again, I walked out of the gated campus entrance, I had so many memories here that it hurt to look back. I walked along the edge of the road, avoiding the occasional delivery van for the school. It wasn't long before I was met by Gab who flew down next to me in his normal attire so he wouldn't stand out aside from his giant golden wings.

Of  course he wouldn't shut up and leave me alone, "hey so where are you going? I saved you so you can continue your work. Are you even listening to me?" Gab asked annoyingly, but I kept to myself just looking forward. We kept walking until I felt nothing underneath my feet, I knew that Gab would get sick of my silent treatment and lift me up over the trees. Suddenly I heard a gunshot from below, and we immediately crash landed. I checked myself over and was quite bruised, I looked behind me and noticed that Gab had been shot.
He had been shot in the forehead, seeing as he was a little more mortal he must've been dead. I heard a loud voice of "yes take that Knight scum!" I hid behind a tall ash tree next to Gabs corpse, the sounds of baying dogs flooded the forest. Unsure if I should escape or thank my saviour, I decided the latter.
The man cheered over his kill, I was greeted by one of his dogs, a medium sized Beagle that licked my hand. The man asked, "what have you got there Ozzy?" Ozzy barked and guided the man to me, looking up I was greeted by a rather large, plump man with a scraggly grey beard as I shouldered his shotgun. "Its alright young lass, the devil has gone for now. My name is Reggie, yours?" Reggie asked holding out a hand. I knew from Reggies accent that he was Scottish, I knew that St Caesers was near the Scottish border but everyone I met including myself had Scouse accents near Liverpool.

I got up myself and was a little stunned, Reggie smiled and said "it's ok lass, lets get ya back to your school." I shook my head and said "I'm on a gap year, the school wants me gone for a while." Reggie guided me to a quadbike, "sorry for that hun, I usually turn back lost or guide new students. You took a nasty fall, luckily you're ok at least."
I calmed down a little bit, I felt it was ok to tell Reggie my name. "Yeah lucky me, my names Claire by the way. Thank you for liberating me from Gab."
Time seemed to stop, I think I hit a nerve or something on Reggie. "Did you mean Gabrielle? The Knight known for his experimental humans?" I nodded in reply, next thing I saw was shocking. I saw Reggie grab an axe from his quadbike and he went apeshit on Gabs corpse, he decapitated the head and disemboweled the corpse. The dogs, Ozzy and the other Beagle ate the organs.

It was a gruesome sight, I vomitted near an oak tree a few metres away from the crime scene. Shaking with fear, I should've kept my mouth shut but I also wanted Gab dead too but by my own hand. With a racing mind I decided to keep my Soul Wanderer status a secret from Reggie.
The quadbike engine grumbled alive, "are you coming Claire?" I carefully walked towards him and sat on the seat behind Reggie. Where ever we were going it was a bumpy ride, the dogs ran alongside us. I could only guess that Reggie owned this land or he was a farmer.

The journey felt like it lasted thirty minutes, Reggie parked up inside a barn, full of hay and straw. We dismounted the quadbike, and walked towards a large two storey log cabin in the middle of a meadow. It had tall windows and looked rather modern. Reggie got out his keys and said "seeing as you're on a gap year, why don't you stay with us huh?" When he opened the door, I was stunned at how luxurious it was, a giant golden chandelier hung over the hallway, people in housekeeping attire were dusting the staircases, tables and pictureframes.

I took my shoes off placing them away from the front door, Reggie meanwhile took his shoes off and threw them at the wall spreading dirt everywhere.
A housekeeper immediately came and sweeped the mud, Reggie walked upstairs saying "Dad I got good news," I heard another voice from downstairs, "down here son," this voice sounded southern. I followed the voice and was shocked to see another Knight.
This Knight didn't look a day over thirty, he was sat in a grey leather chesterfield armchair. He wore a plush looking dressing gown, and behind him he had a woman who I guessed was a hairdresser, based from the clipping sounds of the scissors that were trimming this Knights feathers. I guessed the chair was modified because I couldn't see his wings but I did see the piercing green eyes burn a hole in my face. Before I could say anything, Reggie entered the lounge along with the two Beagles that jumped on a nearby couch.
The Knight cut the awkward silence, his voice was sharp and stern in his southern accent, "Reginald, who is this? Tell me now!" Reggie gestured to me saying, "this here Dad is Claire, she was captured by the Knight Gabrielle, so I shot him in the forehead like ya said Dad. Then Ozzy and Pixi ate the body. Are you proud of me?"
I was shocked to what Reggie called the Knight, his dad like father until it hit me. I was looking at Marvin otherwise known as Gabs former lover. It all made sense to me but did this mean that Marvin was somehow my spiritual half-brother?
I saw Marvin wave a hand to his hairdresser that exited the room, shutting the door behind her, I stayed wary of any situation about to unfold.
Reggie walked to his father, I was expecting him to slap him but instead he smiled and praised his son.

Thinking my secret was safe, Marvin told his son to leave the room. I looked at Reggie for answers but he was busy in his own joyous bubble.
Marvin pointed his finger at me, in less than a second I felt my soul drift a little, the Knight smiled and stood up. He approached me like I was a rare artefact, he looked at me very carefully. I did feel very self-conscious, but I let him study me. After what felt like thirty minutes, the Knight sat back in his armchair and gestured me to sit opposite him in the couch. I sat down near one of the Beagles with apprehension.