Fourteen

Ash and Charlie walked back into the dining room to see that the table was empty except for Lucinda. Guilt settled like a bird in her stomach, she looked back at Charlie who just nodded in assurance and taking a deep breath Ash walked up to Lucinda.

“Um, Mrs. Khoury, I’m ready to talk now, and I promise to just listen.” She said sheepishly.

Lucinda turned to her amused. “I’m glad to hear it, but let’s go somewhere else, and please, no one’s called me Mrs. Khoury since I was forty.” She stood up, gesturing for Ash to follow her.

They quietly made their way to the castle library, Ash noted that there seemed to be more guards standing attention than there had been during the day. She knew that most guards were shifters, perhaps most of them were nocturnal as well. Lucinda’s soft laughing broke Ash out her thoughts.

“I had forgotten how curious you tended to be.”

“What do you mean?”