The Lightning Thief

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

"Good morning", she greeted him with a wonderful smile. "I thought this shop would open earlier... Are you Mr Illuminon?"

Ignatius nodded. As he came closer, he could smell the heavy scent of her long, blonde hair. It made his head spin again.

"I would like to see some of your work. People say it makes women more beautiful."

"Well, you certainly don't need it, Mylady", Ignatius answered, slowly finding back to his usual charming self.

The woman laughed. "That is very nice of you. Would you show me your latest project?"

Ignatius hesitated. The Shadows- he could not show her. She would know and she would be able to tell everyone who killed all those people. But it was difficult to resist her charme. Too difficult. But he must not show anyone... she was so beautiful... he must not show... beautiful... must not...

"Of course, Miss-" "Oh, my name is Jennifer... Smith."

Ignatius should have recognised her hesitating- but he was too busy staring at her. She came so close that strands of her blonde hair touched him.

"I will lead the way, follow me", he heard himself say. Jennifer smiled. "That is very kind."

Ignatius went up to his flat and laboratory as if in a dream, her white hand on his arm.

Catie had been looking out of the window. She had friends in the town and was worried about them. She wanted nothing more than to look after them, but as long as Ignatius told her to stay in his flat, she would stay.

She was sure that he did not know how much she cared for him. In fact, Catherine Realowe knew exactly that she would never stand a chance of being loved by him.

She turned when Ignatius walked in, saw the beautiful woman who had her hand on his arm and immediately her eyes were full of- not only worry, but also anger and also a slight trace of disappointment.

"Who is this?", she asked.

Ignatius was beaming. "This is Miss Jennifer Smith. She wants to see my latest project."

"But you did not want to show anyone! Not-" Not even me, she thought, but she did not end this thought. Jealousy was such an unattractive trait in a woman.

Ignatius must still be unwell. Maybe he had not cured his head injury; Catie had told him to stay at home, but he had ignored her advice. And now- he never beamed like this - not in his right mind... This Jennifer Smith must have given him a drug or something like that.

Catie was extremely fond of Ignatius. Even if he did not love her, she loved him, and she wanted to get him back to normal.

He had not been himself over the last weeks. Catie knew he had been inventing something, but even after he was injured the previous night, he had not wanted to talk about it. She really wanted to believe that Ignatius cared about her, but that was difficult when he was with another beautiful woman. Such as Jennifer.

Ignatius searched for a roll of parchment and gave it to Jennifer. It contained all his experiments with the Shadows, carefully written down. A part of his lifework.

She quickly looked over it and nodded. "I am impressed. This is very well worked out. Thank you, Mr Illuminon."

Catie could not believe it. "What are you doing to him?", she cried.

Jennifer smiled. "That is none of your business. He will come with me and he will do as I say. You will stay here in this town and never think of him again."