𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

Chapter 13

"It's good to hear from you so soon, Edward." Carlisle sounded sincere, but there was an audible tension in his voice. Perhaps Alice's visions had gotten stronger . . . or changed.

Edward hadn't seen Draco in over a week. He'd hoped the wizard would return for New Year's, and when he didn't show, Edward had done his best to contain his disappointment and worry, though he hadn't been extremely successful at either.

"Yes. I . . . there's something I need to talk to you about." As Edward spoke, he glanced to the left, where a woman shopping in the small general store stood watching him curiously. He'd spent the last few days trying to think of a solution to Draco's predicament, imagining every angle, every possible outcome, even going so far as to consider bringing Draco and his family back to Forks. Of course he'd quickly realized the ridiculousness of that idea, but it had become increasingly clear he needed Carlisle's perspective. He'd left the cabin at dawn, determined to seek counsel. But the inhabitants of the small Scottish village he'd come to apparently weren't used to outsiders—and this very public pay phone had been the only one he'd been able to find.

"I know." Carlisle's voice echoed over the bad line.

"Alice?"

"Yes, she said you'd call. She's out hunting with Jasper at the moment, but there's . . . there've been a few developments I'd like to discuss with you."

"Developments? What kind of developments?" Edward fiddled with the cord, speaking softly and quickly so his audience of one wouldn't overhear.

"Something you said last week made me curious," Carlisle continued. "How you are able to see the wizarding school despite the spells in place to protect it. It struck a chord. After we spoke I did a bit of research . . ." The excitement nearly buzzed through the phone, Carlisle's eager thoughts almost audible despite the distance. "I think there might be a reason."

"Right. Let me guess . . . I'm a wizard," Edward joked.

A shuffling movement nearby distracted him; the woman was still staring. Never seen him before. Such a young bloke. And good-looking too. He almost looks like a statue. Greek and all that. Edward relaxed his rigid posture, leaning against the phone cubicle to appear more casual—more human. When she realized she'd been caught spying, she turned back to the shelf, still glancing occasionally at Edward out of the corner of her eye. Humans tried so hard to be covert in their interest, and it rarely worked. But he needed to do a better job acting the part.

Carlisle chuckled a bit. "Actually, yes."

"What are you talking about?" The cord between his fingers nearly snapped.

"I have every reason to believe that your father, Edward Masen, was a wizard."

Edward snorted. He could barely remember his human father, but he was pretty sure he'd recall if he'd ever wielded a wand or flew on a broom.

"I think that's highly unlikely."

"How much do you know about your father's history?"

Edward had never really known much of his extended family—couldn't recall meeting grandparents, aunts, uncles. And once he'd been changed, his attachment to his human life had quickly faded. He'd never bothered to find out more information.

"Not much," he admitted.

"Did you know he disappeared for seven years?"

"What? When?"

"Your father was born in 1874 in rural Illinois. There's not much information about his parents—your grandparents, Elinor and Robert Masen. They lived in a farming community, very insular, but they did have a community paper. Some interesting reports began surfacing a few years after he was born—unexplained weather disturbances, wild animals acting strange, becoming tame—"