Page 10 of Locked Souls
Please, don’t leave me here, guys. I don’t want to have this baby alone.
Chapter 3
“What the fuck’s going on?” Jonas asks as he follows me through the tunnels and into the halls of the academy. I walk up the stone steps to Levi’s old apartment. This brings back memories, that's for sure.
“I’ll explain when we get inside,” I say, then open his door. Looks like he didn’t bother locking it from earlier when he had to clean up Eli.
The place is almost bare, but there is a couch, even if it has a lovely layer of dust covering it. I walk right to it and plop down with a sigh.
Today has turned into a total shit show. “Chastity is fine,” I start, and Jonas gapes at me.
“How do you know that?” he sputters and I groan, rubbing my face with my hand. I shouldn’t have worn contacts today. My eyes are starting to itch and my glasses are at home.
“Jacob came to me six months ago and told me that I had a new assignment for The Society. He didn’t give me many details, just what I was to know and follow. He’s had me looking into all the Society members. Their past, present, and future skeletons. I guess he was worried that a war was coming.”
Jonas drops beside me and I cough as a poof of dust flies into the air.
“Wow, I get that you couldn’t say anything, but I thought you were working on a secret surprise for Chastity and the baby,” he mumbles and I laugh.
“Sorry, no, but I did order something awesome for the house. We will have to build it when we get home. I’ve been keeping it in the pool house.”
“Wait, that still doesn’t explain how you know that Chas is okay?”
“Ash is back. I had to look into all the members… I knew he was on an assignment. When I confronted Jacob, he told me that we wouldn’t see him again until his job was done, or Chastity was in danger. And if she was, they had a plan to make sure she was safe.”
“So many Goddamn lies!” he snaps, and I nod.
“Fuck, it feels good to have that off my chest,” I say with a sigh of relief. I really hate lying and hiding shit from my family. The pregnancy helped to distract Chas, but I know that Levi and Jonas have been curious.
“Yeah, sure, but this is a lot, Bast. She's still gone, and I’m still spiraling a bit. So what’s with the folder?” I glance down at the shiny blue folder in my hand and groan.
“We need to call an emergency meeting, and call in all the Elders. Including the ones that have retired or are away on undercover assignments.”
I open the folder and pull out the sheets. Some names are blacked out, but they have phone numbers attached, and a code to say to them when they answer.
“Damn, Jacob is thorough, isn’t he?” Jonas mentions taking one of the papers and pulls out his phone.
We are halfway through when someone knocks on the door. I’m not shocked at all when Tempest barges in, now changed into a pair of black leggings and a dark shirt. She looks like she’s ready for some trouble.
“Okay, so Otto filled me in, but I don’t care, it's time for us to find our girl. The kids are with him and are safe.”
“Okay, well, there’s an answer to one of my questions, but Temp, we can’t just go off and look for Chas. She’s under The Society’s protection for a reason.”
“Fuck the protection,” Tempest growls. “We can protect her just fine. I want my best friend back. She’s pregnant, and about ready to pop. The safest place for her is here.”
God, this woman is infuriating sometimes. I mean, I totally agree with her, but right now, I need to follow my orders.
“Okay, let me finish these calls and then I will bother Jacob for an address. In the meantime, can you go speak to Chastity’s grandmother?” Tempest glares at me, and I can’t help but smirk.
She still hates Mother Cross, which I find hilarious, since she’s no longer a mean nun. Chastity and her have become close this past year.
“Finneee,” Tempest whines, then turns and slams the door behind her.
“Brutal, but efficient,” Jonas mumbles, then grabs the paper once more and continues the calls. It’s going to be a long ass night.
I’m hanging up with the last Elder when Ash bursts into the room. His hair is a mess, and I’m still fucking pissed that he didn’t know right away that Eli was his. I knew the moment he was born, screaming like a banshee.
“Nope, fuck this, I’m out,” Jonas says, standing and shoving Ash aside to leave the apartment. I look over at my former brother, and I feel a tiny, miniscule—I mean, like a grain of salt, small—amount of pity for him.