Wolf at Heart

Chapter Fifty Eight: Unspoken Promises

The room was dead silent.

How many times have you used it already?

It horrified me that I didn't know the answer to that question. I didn't know how many times I'd healed myself or others. And what about that time with Ash?

No, I couldn't count the numbers. I didn't know them and I couldn't make myself feel even worse. I'd have a panic attack or the like.

I felt a hand grip mine from under the table.

Ash was staring straight ahead, his face pale and taut. I glanced down and gasped his in response. His were warm, heating up my cold hand. We sat, quietly lending each other support while the others' minds raced.

Alastar broke the silence after letting us stew in our fear. "I might as well remind you if you have not heard it already. From all of the Chosen that I have trained, all of them have lived to be far older than their tribesmen."

You could almost hear the relief in the room.

"That is no excuse to abuse this power," Alastar cut in with a glare. "This is a great responsibility to bear and I will help you learn to control it. Do not ever use it unless the need is dire enough. I do not need another death on my hands."

Another? And what had the snake said...that Alastar had done questionable things?

I shifted my weight uncomfortably in the chair, unwilling to assume anything just yet.

"Um, sir?" Jinx tentatively raised his hand, holding the book he'd taken from us earlier. "We found this thing and it says that it knows about our abilities and such."

Alastar narrowed his eyes. "Bring that here."

Jinx handed it to him and for a moment he stared at the book. Then suddenly it lit in a bright burst of blue flame, crumbling to mere ashes. Jinx made a choking noise and the rest of us probably had the same thing on our minds.

Why'd you do that?!

The strange man answered again as if he could read our minds. Which hopefully he couldn't. "I knew the author. All of this is fake."

He knew the author? But the book looked so old...

"Any questions before I dismiss you all for today?" Alastar finished abruptly, making half of us jump in our seats. "My apprentice will show you to your separate rooms afterward."

I raised a tentative hand and he nodded at me. "Actually my question is for you," I said, gesturing at the mamba. "Sorry, but we still don't know your name."

The mamba jumped up with a flourish of exaggerated motions. "Sorry about that folks." He grinned impishly. "The name's Jinx, pleased to meet you all."

I raised my other hand in greeting, running the names through my head.

Ash, Melody, Sora, and now Jinx.

Alastar clapped his hands together in finality. And weary annoyance. "Boy, go show them to their rooms and take the rest of the day off yourself. We will meet again early the next morning."

Jinx responded with a quick 'yes, sir.'

With that, he walked away down another corridor that disappeared once he had crossed the threshold.

Strange.

Jinx was still standing and started down the opposite tunnel, beckoning for us to follow. "C'mon guys, I'll show you to your rooms."

Sora got up and trailed after him with an airy comment or two about how tired she was.

Ash and I stood and we both realized that we were still holding hands. He released me the same time that I stepped back a little bit and we turned away, embarrassed.