Thirty eight

After our mysterious man has survived multiple nights under Louis's watchful eyes, he has finally awoken from his long slumber. He must've been hanging on for dear life when he found us.

Looking at him, he looks slightly more alive than the first time we met. Eating has proven to be a challenge without a tongue. So far, he has survived mostly on soup. The mere sight of it makes me shudder, bringing back disturbing memories from my time in the Baltran range. I lived through it, and I have come out stronger, and with a good friend at my side. Graham wanted to be present when we asked the questions. It might concern him as well. It might not, but another set of ears and eyes couldn't hurt.

The man shuffles on the bed, groaning and looks around the room, curious. Zareen has been his home for almost a week now, and it's as safe as it can get considering the circumstances. He can't get out, and others can't get in unless they are part of the inner circle.

We are prepared, if he can't speak, he will have to write down all the answers.

Mason takes a step forward, dragging me with him, " What's your name?" We are starting light, I see. Don't want to scare him off.

The man's eyes bounce between all of us as he takes stock of our expressions. He came to us unless he made that choice randomly.

The man picks up the pad with shaky hands, and the pen we have placed on his lap, and pauses right before the pen touches the paper. He is hesitating for some reason, and my patience is running thin, really thin.

A few moments pass in awkward, tense silence before he starts writing his answer. Once he is done, he lifts it for us to see the one-word answer.

" Isaac," Well, we are making headway, sort of. We all look at each other wondering if he knows either of us.

The sound of pen scratching on paper drags our attention back to the man propped on the bed.

" Alizee," Well, I'm familiar with the name. Micah has said it while he held me captive in that forsaken underground dwelling, which I'm assuming is some sort of temple.

Mason frowns and looks at me, he also uses it as a part of the soothing words my mother has written down in her journal.

" What does that mean?" Graham slips off the chest of drawers he has perched himself on, and walks over to the bed. Isaac shrinks under his gaze and turns a bit skittish, eyes widened at Graham's looming presence.

" Graham take a few steps back," Mason says and Graham reluctantly obeys," Answer the question," Mason adds.

Although I feel sorry for Isaac, I still want answers. We have no intention of harming him, I made sure that Mason gave me his word and I know he will hold it. The fact that he is in a warm bed, clean, and fed should be an indication that we do not wish to harm him. We are still uncertain of his intentions, but we will deal with it if it comes to that.

A little frightened, Isaac reprises writing his answer. We are going to be here for a very long time at this rate.

When he lifts his pad, I'm stunned into silence, my stomach drops, and the temperature in the room drops a few degrees. All of a sudden, I'm shivering.

" Your mother,"

Who's mother? Mason is an orphan who has never met either of his parents. And so is Graham. And according to my mother, she is not my mother either. Just effing great.

" Whose mother?" Gone is the good-natured attitude and cheeky grins from Graham's demeanour.

Isaac returns to scribbling on his pad, to his credit, he is trying to be a little faster.

" The girl," Well, that settles it then. If he is telling the truth than I believe I know my mother's name. I take a moment to turn everything around in my head. Frankly, not much surprises me anymore and I'm taking everything with a grain of salt. It would be absurd to take everything that the man says at face value. It may not apply to everyone, but there are always strings attached. He is not giving us this kind of information without a price. What he is telling us right now is nothing more than a teaser to the whole story.

I look at Mason, there is a small smile playing on his lips, he glances at me from the corner of his eye and nods. He is probably thinking the same thing. We have given him a haven, and he will probably want to stay here once he reveals the entire story. Something that we can't do. Zareen has never been breached by outside forces. All this makes me think that Isaac is nothing more than a rat. He is merely giving us enough to keep us occupied.

That thought has my senses on high alert. Mason stiffens at my side and we both turn to look at each other.

Concerned with the sudden silence, Graham takes his eye off Isaac to look at us with furrowed brows," Something is wrong," It is a statement, not a question.

" Get him out now," Mason barks and opens his mouth to call for Shay but we're too late. For the first time since all of this started, I get to be front and center to witness what a V'asay is truly capable of.

Isaac gasps, his body seizes, going taught on the bed, eyes wide open, mouth open so wide that you'd think he no longer has the ligaments holding his mandibula together.

And then Eagen emerges, at first he lacks corporeal form, but I can see the outline of his body, distinguish his features that are seared in my brain, and can never forget. Not even if I wanted to.

Isaacs turns limp on the bed and instantly gives his last and final breath.

While Eagan, gains corporeal form, his clothes materialise right in front of us. He is alone. There are three of us, but then again, Isaac has spent some time alone while we thought he was out of it. When maybe he wasn't.

Crap.

" Seal the entrance," Mason says to Graham. Zareen has one way in and one way out that I know of. If Eagan has brought reinforcements, we either die here or we will be captured and taken to Micah.

Frankly, I prefer the first option.