"Oh, so you finally decided to come?" A voice comes from behind me.
I turn around and gasp. Margaret's husband, Luke, is standing close to me. How the hell is that possible? I didn't hear anyone enter the room.
He's leaning back on the wall with a smirk. "Did I scare you?"
There is no way I'll give him the satisfaction of knowing he did, but how the hell did he do it? I didn't hear a door open or anything. That shouldn't be possible. "No, not at all."
His eyes light up and he reaches up to scratch his head, messing up a small section of his salt and pepper hair. "For some reason, I don't believe you."
"That's fine." I shrug. The cooler I act the less likely he'll push it, or at least that's what I'm hoping. "You can think whatever you want."
A smirk spreads across his face and he taps his finger to his bottom lip. "Well, all right." He takes a few steps toward me and tilts his head, taking me in. "So, how are you doing?"
Shouldn't I be the one asking him that? He's the one who lost his wife two weeks ago, after all. But he doesn't seem upset or anything, so I just cut to the chase. "I'm assuming you called me here for a reason?"
"Oh, come now." He shakes his head and moves to the table leaning back against it. "I just want to make sure you're okay."
"Shouldn't I be asking you that? I mean you lost a wife and all." Why are they always playing these games? It would be easier if everyone laid their cards on the table.
"It's been rough, but there is too much at stake to let things fall to the wayside." He watches me and crosses his ankles. "You know how that is."
"Look, can you tell me what you want?" Selena's warning rings in my ear, but I can't help it. I don't want to be here and I'm tired.
"A woman after my own heart." He chuckles and clasps his hands in front of him. "I appreciate someone who wants to get down to business."
Did I just throw up a little in my mouth? When did the council begin trying to butter me up? A smart-alecky retort sits on my tongue, but I bite it back. I don't want to push all my luck in one day.
He purses his lips and sighs after a moment. "Look, I'll be honest with you. Even before the artifacts, you were extremely powerful. You have all the abilities that the council has and are stronger." His hand reaches out to me and he leans toward me. "And now that you have the artifacts running through you, you are a force to be reckoned with."
His stare makes my blood run cold. It's as if I'm an object that he wants to possess. Coming here was a very bad idea. "You do realize I'm a person, right?"
Jerking back, he straightens and clears his throat. "Of course, I do." He scratches at his ear and licks his lips. "As you know, Margaret was invested in you and had already began mentoring you. It was her dying wish that you are trained properly. So, I have decided to assume that responsibility."
Never in a million years would I expect to miss Margaret, yet, here I am doing that exact thing. "Oh, well, you don't have to feel obligated."
"No, this something I've thought long and hard on the past few weeks and it's what I want to do." His eyes soften and he glances off to the side. "Margaret would want me to."
Okay, that does seem a little sincere... maybe. But I'm learning there’s always a catch with them; an ulterior motive. Is this just another way to keep her close? "So, are you going to be teaching me ways of seeing around blocks?"
"Oh, God no." He shakes his head and blinks. "And it would be pointless. Margaret said you mastered that in one sitting. But we will begin with finding an object." He unbuttons his long sleeve shirt and removes his gold Rolex watch. "This is what I want you to find. I'll be right back." He walks out of the room leaving me alone.
If he's not wanting to go over what Margaret showed me, why am I finding an object? I swear these people don't make sense half the time. My phone chirps so I grab it out of my back pocket and pull it out. There is a text from Charlie.
Hope everything went well. See you soon. Miss you.
My stomach feels light. I can't believe we're dating. I don't know what I did to get so lucky for once.
The door opens and Luke walks back in. "Okay, it's hidden, so we're ready to begin."
At least one of us is. However, the longer this drags out the longer I'll be here. "So, I just need to find it?"
"Well, locate it and let me know when you're locked in." As he walks to me, there is a bounce in his step.
I'm missing something here, but I'll figure it out soon enough. I close my eyes and lock on the watch within seconds. "Okay, I see it."
"Great." He chuckles and he walks back over to me and grabs my arm. "Now we're going to it."
The air in the room begins to churn and I open my eyes. My vision begins to swirl. "What the hell is going on?" What is he doing to me?
"You'll see." He grins as the room begins to spin and the colors swirl together.
I lose my footing and it's like
