Tainted Souls

Chapter 7 - Wait

I had been left alone in what appeared to be a study room of sorts while the woman, who had told me her name was Storm, went to go talk to the Grand Coven. She didn't tell me anything of what was happening or who and what the Grand Coven was. Eventually I got tired of just sitting down in an old smelling chair. I started to inspect the study, the light from the sconce lighting on the walls illuminated the metallic gold trim surrounding the red wallpaper. Very few of the books on the bookshelf didn't even have titles on their covers or spines. I was careful not to move anything too much as to make them think I was snooping around. I the middle of the room was an old wooden desk that was neatly organized with some aged parchment, pens, and a globe.

Getting Caleb and myself out and back home was my main objective at this point. Something was up, and we stumbled blindly into it. I had to take action somehow and at least get us closer to getting out of here. I attempted to turn the golden knob on the door I was brought in but did not have any luck as the knob wouldn't turn.

When Caleb had been taken away to wherever by the two men, I made sure to get a hold of his backpack. I decided that I was going to go and read the letter seeing as it seemed to be the only productive thing I could do locked in the room.

The envelope was unsealed, however once I took out the letter I was surprised to find it blank. We had gotten thrust into a seemingly dire situation over a blank piece of paper. I was both confused and outraged at the same time, how could a dead woman fool us, or why would she want to?

Before I could think too much on the situation now Storm came into the room. "The Grand Coven is going to pardon you and your friend for this first incident," she said, looking uncomfortably into my eyes with her gray, seemingly soulless eyes. "Whatever you and your friend were snooping around in is nothing of your concern."

"But Tori told me to go there," I told her, trying to be defiant as well as not stepping out of bounds considering I was a stranger wherever I now was.

"Yes, your friend told us that you could see spirits of the dead, however those armature abilities do not grant you to right to go snooping in every situation," she exclaimed, raising her crooked nose in the air.

"But I help those people with their unfinished business," I explained.

"I don't care if you're royalty, you don't mess with this sort of stuff. Go back to your life at school and don't act on any of this," she urged while moving her thick eyebrows as far down as humanly possible.

I did not want to argue, I just wanted to get home at this point, especially considering I had no idea how long it had been since we had left Tori's home. "Fine, when can we get home then?" I asked.

"Caleb is already at home recovering," Storm said matter-of-factly. "I am to take you home now. However I do want to know why Tori had you looking around her place."

I held up the folded piece of paper. "For this, she said it was a letter, but it's blank," I said frustratingly.

Storm's eyes grew wide as she grabbed the paper and unfolded it to inspect it more closely. "I'm going to hold onto this just in case there's anything to it."

"Fine by me, it's just blank. Now are you gonna take me home?" I asked impatiently. I wanted to see Caleb and make sure he was actually okay, I was also afraid of what my mom might say if I had been gone for too long.

"My orders are to send you home now," she said as she folded the paper back up and tucked it in her left dress pocket. "Just please keep your distance from what you have seen," this time her voice seemed sincere, as if scared.

I grabbed Caleb's bag and stood up as tall as I could. Storm did an upward gesture with her right hand and the blue haze surrounded me once again and in an instant I was in my bedroom once again.