Reaper

Chapter 10

"Morgana," Claire asked, "Who was the boy you were talking to just now?"

I stopped, frozen in place. I almost didn't believe what I was hearing. How had Claire seen Will? "What do you mean?" I finally asked. I turned to face her. She was still in the creek, the water barely reaching her ankles.

"I mean that I saw the boy that you were talking to and I was curious as to who he was." Her green eyes sparkled with questions. "Is he your secret boyfriend?"

I nearly choked trying to answer her. "Oh heavens no, Claire! What in the world gave you that outrageous idea?"

My cousin shrugged but a small smile crept onto her face. "I was only curious."

"Curiosity is no good for anyone," I retorted, "and it is certainly does no good if the topic in question has no business being talked about."

"It was only a question, Morgana." She stepped out of the creek and slipped her shoes back on. "I'm merely curious and I meant no harm."

By now, the smile had fallen from her face. "Claire, I know that you meant no harm, but this topic isn't one that I like to talk about," I said gently.

"Why?"

I sighed quietly. It was such a simple question yet its answer was more difficult than I liked it to be. "It's difficult for me to explain."

"Why is it so difficult to explain?"

I silently cursed her curiosity. It was going to get her into trouble one day. "It's just difficult, Claire. Now, please, leave it alone." I turned and started to walk towards the barn but Claire quickly caught up to me.

"I still don't understand."

"You don't have to understand! Just leave it be," I answered.

"Why should I leave it be?" she suddenly demanded. Her green eyes stared at me, making me feel as if they were almost piercing my soul. "Why can't I know who he is?"

"I just don't feel like you should know who he is at this point."

"That's not a good reason," she argued.

Her words shocked me; they were the same words that I'd used in my argument with Aiden the day before. The shock lasted for only a moment, however, and I quickly replied, "It's a good enough reason for me. Now please, let it go. I will tell you when I am ready to talk about it."

Claire opened her mouth, most likely to protest again, but Lauren's voice called out to us before she could say anything. "Claire, Mother wants you to come inside. Aunt Katherine and uncle James want to talk to you. Aunt Katherine wants you to come inside as well, Morgana."

"Alright; we'll be inside soon." I called back to her. My attention turned back to Claire. "I promise that I will tell you and Lauren everything soon. It just can't be right now."

She sighed and shuffled her feet a bit. "Okay, but I'm holding you to that promise."

I nodded. "I expect you to hold me to it." We started walking back up to the cottage. "Can you promise me something, thought?" I glanced over at her and saw her nod. "Can you promise to not to tell Mother and Father about this? They don't know anything about any of this."

"I think that I can promise that."

A small smile spread across my face. "Thank you, Claire."

"You're welcome." We stepped into the cottage and I sat in my rocking chair while Claire sat next to Lauren on the floor.

"Timothy is still working in the fields. He wanted to come along but he's been so busy with the corn harvest lately that he couldn't leave." Aunt Maria said to Mother.