Hidden Truths - Ethan

19 - The Silver lining

I take my stance for reporting and he seems to be amused. "You have some news for me, Ethan?" slightly mocking me before leaning against his writing desk. His face hardens. This is definitely the ruler and Lord I swore to follow.

"Indeed, my Lord. The murderer of Warlow came to me tonight," I start and he looks surprised.

"What?" I repeat what I just said but then realize he didn't really want an answer to that. "It seems that we have our murderer, but it is not as satisfying as we thought," I start before straighten out and tell him what Mister Holmwood just told me in the men's nightclub.

"I promised him a fair trial and that you will hear him, in order to get that story out of him. He is locked up in an empty guest room. I was afraid that there would have been some more rumor with these spirits around him," I close my report and Tristan who silently listened to me all the time nods once more.

"It sounds reasonable." He then starts to look at me and crosses his arms in front of him. "The only question is: Do you believe him?"

I run my healthy hand through my hair, before sighing. "I actually do not know what to believe. It all fits, I did not find a lie in his story, but then again..." I wrinkle my forehead. My gut feeling is nothing I can prove, but Tristan nods once more. I think he knows what I don't say.

"There is this one thing that worries me. This Charlotte is

not alone, Tristan. The thought that there are more vampires out there who want to take your seat brings back some old memories. Those I never want to become reality again. I would like to do some... precautionary measures," his soft smile already tells me that he knows what I mean and he doesn't agree.

"I don't want to move around in the headquarters like a prisoner, Ethan," then he smirks. "Especially it most probably wouldn't be you anymore who will stand next to me, hm?"

I sigh. That's what I figured. "Alright, either way; I respect the courage that he came to find me, but I never heard about him before. He didn't come to you or anybody to make sure people know that he is new here. I would like to find someone who knows him." Tristan nods once more.

"That could be hard if he really only came here to stop his fosterling."

"I would like to believe it. I would really like to know what is going on. He was surprised that I know the name of the girl he was describing," I look away for a moment.

"What else is making you feel uneasy?" he interprets my face.

"How did he find me, if he really only came here for that? Do you think I'm that predictable?" I want to know and I can clearly see a smug smile for a split second.

"I think you have caused some gossip lately. You remember that you got promoted, right? And that little song with your maid? Not to forget, that impressive lesson you just gave out in the training room after losing half of your hand in a deadly fight." I feel caught.

***

"Beat him, beat him, beat him!" The men around me shout to feed my brutal approach. My opponent isn't any more caring about me and just lands a hit with his fist against my right side. The training started to make sense. If I tense up at the right time and be able to control the different muscles in my body I'm not such an easy target anymore. My answer is an uppercut that makes him step back.

"Enough!" the knight behind us is yelling at all of us and I turn around to take a look at what he wants. My training partner pats my shoulder hard.

"You are getting too good for my taste, next time I'll defeat you faster," he tells me while rubbing his chin and I grin. That's what he is dreaming about. He is grimly looking at our drill instructor. At least I'm not the only one who dislikes that knight. The others don't say it openly but I can see their antagonism when he is present.