FOREVER KNIGHTS: #13 Salvaging Souls

Deragan still stood in the foyer. Linking with her mind as she walked the property.

Her brain was feverishly clicking pieces into place. Unleashing a blast of images of her blue-eyed stranger.

Of me.

And she was tying those images to ‘Derrick’. Her grip on her skirts turned white knuckled as her body shook. She recalled her blue-eyed stranger standing beneath her window with the glimmer of a silver pendant winking at her in moonlight from the opening in his shirt. Now she remembered seeing the hint of that chain around Derrick’s neck on many occasions.

She envisioned the progression of how he’d looked when he came. Brown hair, hazel eyes, pock mark scars and softer features. Overtime had all become more stark. His jaw squarer. The scars smoothing, one by one. His nose straightening and hair darkening and those eyes…Bluer.

Bast had even laid it out for her but she hadn’t understood then.

She was overwhelmed by the prospect that her phantom had been magically disguised and freely roaming her house. Now she was determined to have the answers she sought. To determine if she was crazy or the truth of all that was happening.

All she’d been seeing…

The sky was darkening, and rain began to patter her. As her step grew more severe. Her pace furious. She threw open the front door as thunderclouds rolled over the sky.

Her hair and dress were wilted against her from the dousing. Stalking into the Dining Hall she found them all there. Her eyes scanning until landing on Deragan.

She’s got words to say to me. He paused adding a log to the fire. Crouched before it and peering over one shoulder to eye her.

She knows. Tossing the log, he strode to his chair and took a seat. Putting his back to the mantle and crossing his arms over his thick chest. Leisurely crossing his feet atop another chair he’d drug over. Meeting her study his eyes went hooded.

“Nore?” Nick had paused serving Airon some potatoes to look at her. “Are you well?”

“No, she’s not!” Airon decreed. “Look at her face.”

“I see that.” Nick murmured. Nick’s chair creaked as he turned to follow her eyeline. Seeing Deragan staring back at her just as unflinchingly.

Yes, I know what this is about. He didn’t spare Nick a glance.

Clad in a dark blue tunic and his usual black breeches, his body language bespoke what his mild manner belied. Calm arrogance rolled off him.

Her thoughts revealed she wondered how she had missed it.

Because I’ve tried hard to sit back and be patient. Far from the Commanding man you know… Tilting his head to the side he returned her perusal.

All eyes followed her as she stomped furiously across the room to him.

It grew impossibly shadowed in the Dining Hall.

She was approaching so violently, Bast’s chair scraped the floor as he stood. Cocking his head at Deragan.

Don’t intervene. Deragan caught it in his peripheral and lifted a staying palm toward Bast. Slowly lowering it down.

Bast obediently sat.

Barely sparing Bast’s quick movement, a glare, her focus returned to Deragan. Who hadn’t moved.

“You.” Her voice cracked so she swallowed to clear her throat. “I went to the graveyard.”

And found your headstone. He gave a prompting nod.

“I saw the marker.” Inhaling deeply, she said. “I talked to a man…I saw the flowers.”

He stiffened as he stared down at her. He was there? Small chance of that.

“It’s you, isn’t it? You send them?” She edged close enough her family couldn’t hear them whispering.

The white roses. He sighed.

“Yes.” He admitted.

“Why?

“To honor your former lives.”

“Do you send flowers to all my graves?” She countered.

The ticking of his jaw and his utter silence was answer enough.

“White roses were your favorite.” His grip on the wood armrests of his simple chair was clenched in a white-knuckled grip. And the angle of his shoulders indicated he was prepared to launch to his feet any moment.

Next to the slender flames of a weak fire, his black silk shirt was thin enough to allow faint glittering through. A small bulge gleamed under the cloth.

She pointed as she closed in. “That’s it, isn’t it? You’re him, aren’t you?”

Yes. He blinked at her.

Once close enough, he saw the twining silver pendant dangling low on his chest.

He didn’t blink the whole time she moved, tracking her movements. Eyes glowing dark blue in the shadows.

As she stared at them, he slowly tilted his head to her. His eyes turning green from the sides of the iris. Pinching inward until they were wholly hazel once more. Staring at her intensely.

But not before I let her see.

“You’re a stranger here! Why are you here?”

She means I’m not who she thought I was. Harmless…Her brother’s friend.

She suspects I’m here for her. She suspects, right.

Now she knew every barrier separating them concealed nothing from him. I know her.

“I have to know!” She cried.