Lost Soul

Chapter Fifteen: Raelynn

Charlie lurches forward, slamming into the desk.

Ice floods my veins.

"How do you know that name?" Charlie hisses, "no human has learned that name!"

Winston eases back in his seat. "Your senses must be dull, young knight. Can't you feel my energy?" The coffee cup begins to float.

Charlie collapses into his seat, his eyes as wide as saucers.

As the cup clatters back into place, my shock breaks. "What did you call him?" I ask. "Thomas...?" I can't say it.

Winston glances me over. "So, my assumptions were correct. You have no idea about any of this."

Charlie slams his hand into the desk. "That's for a reason!"

"You knew?" My voice is hardly a squeak.

Charlie ducks his head.

Winston glances over me. "You should join your friends."

"What? You drop the biggest bomb of my life right in my lap and tell me to leave!? Not happening, bucko! Someone better tell me what the hell is going on, right now!"

Charlie squeezes his eyes shut. "You know I can't."

"Then you!" I shout, jabbing a finger in Winston's face.

He puts his hands up. "I'm afraid I don't have the answers you seek, young one. I only know that name because of my time in the kingdom. I don't know his connection to you. It is a common surname."

My heartbeat slows. "So... there could be no connection?"

He shrugs. "It is likely. However, I will have to discuss with the knight to know more."

"You can discuss in front of me," I snarl.

"I'm bound not to," Charlie hisses.

"I don't give a damn!"

Winston put a hand out. "You don't understand. If our kind try to break our vows, there is dire consequences."

I hesitate. "How dire?"

"Lethal."

I close my eyes and take a breath, digging my nails into the wooden chair. "Will you tell me what you learn?" I ask, meeting Winston's gaze.

He shrugs. "It depends how far reaching the bind is. He may not be able to tell me either. But if I learn anything I believe you need to know, I will tell you."

I squeeze Charlie's shoulder as I stand. "This isn't over," I snarl.

He flinches and nods.

The receptionist guides me to the room my friends left open for me.

I should talk to my friends and tell them what Winston said, but I'm too hyped up. I pace up and down the length of the room, swinging at the air.

What does it mean? Thomas Black. Thomas Black. Are we connected? My mother did say she knows him. But how?

It feels like there's an obvious answer sitting directly in front of my face. I can clearly see it. But I don't want to. I want to close my eyes and stick my fingers in my ears and scream.

I want the obvious answer to be wrong. The obvious answer would tip my whole world off its axis. It would throw me into the middle of the ocean even though I'm not a strong swimmer. It would laugh as it punched me in the face.

So, I do my best to ignore it, even though its jumping on the bed, screaming like a toddler.

My door opens, breaking my standoff with the elephant in the room.