Moonlark Turned Evil

7: Ice Blue Eyes

"I  have to keep my special ability a secret?" Sophie asked.

Alden nodded. "Right now, only the few people who were involved in bringing you to the Lost Cities know you are a Telepath. The Council would like to keep it that way for the time being."

The Council would like to train their new secret weapon without anyone knowing.

"What about Telepathy lessons?" Sophie asked instead. "I was looking forward to them."

"I negotiated with the Council a little, and they arranged for a skilled Telepath to meet you today. Unfortunately, I do not have a good rela—"

The door burst open.

"What is the meaning of this?!" a male voice demanded.

Sophie kept her face expressionless as she turned around and came face to face with Granite—well, with his true form. His identity in the Lost Cities was a Telepath called Tiergan. He had olive brown skin and light blonde hair, and his dark blue gaze was currently aimed at Alden, blazing with anger.

Granite did a double take when he noticed her sitting in front of him. Then he refocused his attention on Alden. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded again, just as angry.

"Sophie is in need of a Telepathy mentor," Alden explained. Then, after a pause, "This is something you're doing for her, not me. Please do not confuse the two."

Granite stared at her intently. "So this is why they lit the fires," he muttered softly.

Alden didn't hear him.

Granite knelt down in front of Sophie so he could look her directly in the eye. "What's your name?"

His voice was soft.

She hadn't imagined him like this. In her mind, he'd always been one of her creators, cold and distant.

"Sophie Foster."

"And you're a Telepath."

She nodded.

"My name is Tiergan," he said, standing back up. He shot Alden a look of pure disgust before he said, "I will train her."

His jaw was clenched, as if it pained him to talk to Alden directly.

Alden looked surprised, but he swiftly masked it. "Excellent."

Tiergan's face softened as he turned back to her. "See you on Wednesday."

He turned and left.

"What happened between you two?" Sophie asked Alden as the door swung shut.

"A small dispute." Alden gave her what was clearly a forced smile. "Over something about the Council. No reason to worry."

Given that Tiergan was a member of the Black Swan and Alden was the one who had broke Prentice's mind, Sophie guessed that it was the mindbreak they had argued over. It was the Council who had ordered the break, so it fit.

But why was Alden keeping her in the dark about it?

Because he didn't want to explain about the Black Swan?

Because the Council had ordered him to keep her ignorant about her creators?

"Tiergan will teach you Telepathy," Alden assured her. "It will be marked as 'Remedial Studies' on your timetable for as long as the Council intents to keep your ability hidden."

Sophie nodded, her mind swirling with questions.

'There's no reason to worry' indeed.