Dangerous Thoughts

Chapter 21

With the invisibility device, Charles and Lillian were able to walk the halls of the orphanage freely. This would have been the perfect time to snoop around had Cecilia not just led a child away. So Charles and Lillian wordlessly padded their way down the hall, only stopping outside of the small sitting room at the front of the orphanage. Cecilia was sitting with Elijah on a settee, while the new arrivals—Mister and Missus Tennyson—sat in a pair of armchairs.

"...here to make sure the children are comfortable," Cecilia was saying. "Children can be nervous with this sort of thing."

"Of course," Missus Tennyson said. She was a beautiful woman with striking ice blond air. As she leaned down to make eye contact with Elijah, a small spherical pendant dangled over her collar. "It's lovely to see you again, Elijah."

The boy responded by burying his head into Cecilia's side.

Cecilia smiled, placing a hand on his head. "He's just shy," she explained.

"I heard you're not too shy with your powers," Mister Tennyson said with a deep laugh. He was a large man with a bushy mustache. "A little fire mage, I heard."

Elijah continued to hide his head.

Missus Tennyson had a white paper box in her lap. "Elijah," she said, lifting the top, "look what we picked up for you."

Elijah wagered a glance inside and his eyes lit up. The box was full of English toffee, each piece generously sprinkled with crushed pecans.

"See?" Cecilia said. "They've brought you a gift. How lovely!"

"It's for me?" Elijah asked. Charles could hear the awe in his voice—the sound of a child who had likely never celebrated a birthday, let alone been gifted something as nice as fancy sweets.

Missus Tennyson nodded. "Of course. Try some."

Elijah took a piece and popped it into his mouth. His eyes widened in delight. "So good."

Charles watched the scene from the doorway with a frown. The Tennysons seemed like a lovely couple, and Cecilia hadn't done anything that suspicious besides calm the young child. And yet something felt off in the room. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

Mister Tennyson stood up. "I think we can take it from here."

"Of course," Cecilia said, standing up as well. She looked down at the boy. "Elijah, be good."

"Yes, Miss Monroe," he said, sliding off the settee to join his new parents, his face already sticky with toffee. Mister Tennyson placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him out of the parlor; Lillian and Charles had to hastily step to the side to prevent them from being inadvertently bumped in to.

Charles watched as the Tennysons started towards the front door. Cecilia, meanwhile, retreated down the hall, venturing further into the orphanage. Charles wanted to follow his fiancée, but Lillian was having none of that. She immediately started towards the door, and as she was the one holding the invisibility device, Charles was forced to follow suit—he couldn't risk becoming visible and blowing their cover.

Once outside, the Tennysons didn't head down the paved path towards the street where Juliette was hopefully waiting. Instead, they stayed within the orphanage grounds and started walking down a dry dirt path that led around the side of the building. "We have a short cut home," Mister Tennyson explained to Elijah.

Elijah fiddled with his hands. Now that he was further away from Cecilia, Charles could tell that her calming charms were wearing off. However, the boy also let out a loud yawn.

Missus Tennyson smiled at him. "Feeling sleepy?"

He nodded.

"Have another toffee."