The Hidden Truth (Shadow Claw Book 7)

by Sarah J. Stone

  “I am in utter awe with how much you love using your brain,” he said. “How do you do that?”

  “I guess it’s all I’ve ever really had before,” she said. “So I’m accustomed and conditioned into it?”

  “Like?” he asked.

  “Well,” she started, “I lived a pretty decent life until I was nine. I accidentally killed my bully because I wasn’t aware I was a witch. No one really understood what had happened and there was no proof of his dying at my hands, but everyone assumed and it took a toll on my parents. They abandoned me and moved away, so I lived with the animals in the woods. Didn’t talk much, so I had plenty of time to think. I just got used to it from there and learned a lot from animals. I can hear and smell the enemy before I see them. I can fight blind because most attacks were in the dark. Other stuff I find pretty cool so, yeah, I’m awesome. Anyway, wow, I’m rambling. So, I coincidentally ended up by my life tree when I was abandoned and it taught me a lot through dreams and collective consciousness. I practiced in meditation and real life. Ever since Ivanna found me and brought me here, I would do nothing besides read and train. I read a lot. All the time. Anything I can get my hands on. Enough about me, though. Tell me about you!”

  “Ah, well, there’s nothing much to know about me, but I’m regaining a lot of my memories,” he said. “I had a really good life, I’d say. My parents were rich and extremely loving. I had the coolest older brother and I just couldn’t get enough attention from him. I was the nerd who glowed up and instantly got popular in my second year of high school. I got a girlfriend and she was a pretty sweet thing, but we fought a lot. We hardly had anything in common except music. And she was…I don’t know, just kinda crazy, really. So we had a fall-out at a party and I was drinking it all away. Then I drove and ran into a tree. Dead on impact. Trees are assholes.”

  He laughed and so did Viria. “How do you feel about being resurrected, though?”

  Mitch gave it a good thought. “It’s kind of painful, to be honest. It was, at least. Then I started losing feelings and all and became dead and numb, but being lifeless isn’t exactly fun. It’s like a punishment, really. It’s a lot better now that I’m around you. I mean, I dunno, it’s good to have you around. And with this whole evolution thing I’m going through, it makes it all the more better I guess. At least I’m not alone and have something to look forward to now. You can’t commit suicide when already dead.”

  Viria laughed. “True. But hey, now that you almost look alive, you could try going back.”

  he sighed. “Nah, I’d be breaking the code of conduct.”

  “What’s the punishment again?”

  “Actual death.”

  “Yikes.”

  “I know.” He laughed. “But it’s not like I want to go back and see them, anyway. They’d keep me with them and I wouldn’t be able to be a proper ghoul. Also, I have checked on them before and they’ve somewhat moved on. It wouldn’t be fair to just go back like that and create emotional havoc.”

  “I kinda get that, I guess,” she said, “but you’re happy now, right?”

  “Satisfied, yes,” he agreed. “Where do I sleep, by the way? Mind you, I work well when I bury myself.”

  “You could go into the garden,” she suggested. “You don’t specifically need a cemetery, do you?”

  “Well, that’s where dark energy is most,” he explained, “so yeah.”

  “There’s one right behind the HQ just a little way down. It holds the bodies of all that served here,” she said, “If you need to now then I can drop you off there.”

  “Yeah, I think you need to sleep, too.”

  “Nah, I’ll be playing Sudoku.” She grinned and he groaned.

  “I made a mistake.”

  Ivanna stood outside Viria’s office listening to it all. She knew Viria wouldn’t do anything of the sort that everyone was concerned of, but it surprised her to listen to her so happy and cheerful. And she felt the most absurd thing she ever could in that situation. Jealousy. Absolute, pure jealousy. Why couldn’t she make Viria as happy as he did? She’d been with her longer. She literally found little Viria at ten and nurtured her to this day.

  She backed away as soon as the door opened.

  “Oh, hey,” she said, “I was just coming in to check up on you.”

  “We know you were eavesdropping, Ivanna.” She chuckled. “How stupid do you think I am?”

  Ivanna rolled her eyes and followed after her and Mitch. “Where you guys going?”

  “Mitch needs a graveyard to sleep in,” Viria explained. “Good place to process dark energy.”

  “Ahh,” she said, not understanding it at all. But it made sense for a ghoul to want to sleep in a graveyard, “Mitch, you don’t look very dead, though.”

  “I’m evolving, actually,” he said. “I was pretty decayed before I met Viria. Now I’m a lot better. I still have a little jaw to work on,” and he turned around and pointed to a small hole on his face, “I’ll be completely okay once that happens.”

  “How did you injured your jaw, though?”

  “Got into a car crash and died, so the broken glass from the windshield cut through.”

  Ivanna fell silent as her face morphed into what could only be perceived as disturbed. Mitch laughed. “It wasn’t painful, I promise. I was already dead.”

  “Interesting.”

  They climbed down the steps and walked in silence as Viria hummed a tune Ivanna had never heard. She didn’t think Viria listened to music. She wasn’t too keen on using her ears as she was using her eyes. But with all the pauses and switching of tones, she realized it was something Viria was making up on her own. The fact that Viria was humming was enough to surprise her, though.

  “Did something happen, Viria?” she asked.

  “Nope,” she said. “Why?”

  “You seem really happy.”

  “Oh!” she cried out. “Mitch taught me this card game and how to play Sudoku. It’s fun!”

  Ivanna didn’t know games could make her so happy, but she didn’t have much of a childhood anyway to have played much in the first place.

  “She beat me every time,” Mitch grumbled and Viria laughed.

  “Oh, c’mon, you’re not really angry about that.”

  “Eh, I’ve just simply lost the hang of it,” he said. “I’ll beat you next time we play it.”

  “Try me, son.”

  “Don’t make me.”

  And they started to insult each other as they walked out the door and to the back of the building. Ivanna was in absolute awe of the interaction. And she didn’t feel as jealous anymore when she came to understand the dynamics of it. Viria head led her whole life purely around adults. The only one she had close to her age was her mate, Tyler, that she’d cut off her bond from. Mitch seemed around her age, if not a little older. She wondered if Mitch could even age when dead.

  “Mitch, do ghouls age?” she asked.

  “The dark energy lets them, yes,” he said. “The more ghouls practice it the stronger they get so old age doesn’t affect them. They do decay more, though. It’s just me who it working oppositely on.”

  They get to the graveyard and the girls bid him good night. He waved and enters the cemetery. He chose a spot near the gate and willed the ground to break away. He hopped in and the ground swallowed him up.

  With that done, Viria and Ivanna leave for their own beauty sleep.

  “You think it’s okay for him to be with the bacteria and all since he’s pretty much growing his skin back?” Ivanna asked, and Viria froze for a moment. But she started to walk again.

  “The dark energy will probably keep them away.”

  “I guess so.”

  Chapter 19

  Nina and Ivanna were up early and heading for the Inner Circle. Nina only left after making sure everything was covered for while Ivanna prepared breakfast for everyone and put it away. She couldn’t afford to let the Circle know she had a child, or they might target her. And Dahlia was he
r greatest weakness.

  “I don’t see what’s there to get aggravated about,” Nina told Agatha, “You were so supportive of me when it came to taking the throne. A little peace treaty couldn’t hurt.”

  Ivanna observed the whole thing discreetly.

  “I don’t have the energy to deal with the opposing side when they’ll confront me about it,” she said. “You know all is not well in this realm. If you can solve issues with Gale then I’d be more than happy to consider it.”

  Gale was called in.

  “Debts,” he demanded. “You have not made payments.”

  “Do you think you can fool us?” Ivanna asked. “We initiated the trade of labor with you to make up for it.”

  “You haven’t crunched your numbers,” he stated and Ivanna produced a notebook from her cloak and flipped to a marked page, placing it on the table and sliding it toward him.

  “Fifteen percent to go,” she said. “You really want to pull this support away and nullify any future in this aspect with us?”

  He remained silent and Nina took over, “I don’t think you remember how I helped regulate the riots in your community when you were chosen by your father to take over. You being elected wasn’t fait for anyone but we took your side.”

  “Viria Schovsky won’t have any problem going into battle with you,” Ivanna reminded him. “Remember two months ago? Maybe she should have nullified the trade of labor as soon as she found out but she was lenient and understood you were desperate.”

  The pot-bellied man grumbled and snatched the treaty, signing it angrily.

  “Thank you for cooperating with us.” Nina smiled.

  A frustrated Agatha walked in, trying her best to conceal her annoyance.

  “We’ve made the deal with him,” Nina declared and slid over the contract to her. She sighed and signed it. Ivanna smirked under her hood.

  Viria woke up after a blissful twelve hours. The bliss broke as soon as the sleep left her and something felt depressingly missing. But she dealt with it. Better than she could have before. She’d slept late at night playing Sudoku. She looked at the fifth one she was working on, incomplete because she fell asleep halfway. Deciding to do it later, she washed up and headed down for lunch.

  The HQ was empty. There was no urgent mission that required the High Council to stay back for the night, and it seemed the shifters had already woken up and were out running around the building, warming up before dueling for practice.

  Viria shuffles to the kitchen. She wanted to sleep a little more, but her back was sore from lying down for so long. Also, she had no habit of rolling around in bed well after she was awake, no matter how tempting. Reaching for the cereal she’d have on regular days, she turned around and crashed right into a chest.

  Pushing herself back, she looked up to see a bright Mitch.

  Goodness, how do some people even like mornings? She yawned in his face. “Breakfast?”

  “I think I should go shower,” he said. “I’ve literally spent my whole life under dirt and this evolution thingy comes with starting to hate being dirty.”

  Viria smiled lazily. “Upstairs and to the right. Use the guest room at the very end. You’ll find spare unused toiletries in the cabinet under the sink.”

  “Thanks,” he said and walked away.

  “Wait, your clothes?”

  “Ah, I don’t have any.”

  “I’ll lay some out for you,” she said and he nodded and thanked her again, leaving the kitchen. With another yawn, she moved to pour out breakfast for herself into a bowl. She sensed someone walk into the kitchen. She realized something rather odd. She hadn’t noticed Mitch come in at all. It didn’t matter to Viria what state she was in, she always felt someone’s presence.

  She turned around with a spoonful. It was Kevin with Dahlia in his arms.

  “’Sup?” she asked as he set a bottle of milk on the counter.

  “Dahlia’s milk’s gone cold,” he said, “Isn’t there a microwave here?”

  “I’ll just heat it for you in a sauce pan,” she said as she put her bowl and reached down to produce on from a cabinet. “Never use a microwave to heat edible things for children. The aftereffects of exposure to radiation in it is harmful.”

  “I didn’t know that,” he said.

  “Well, it hurts everyone,” she said, running the pan under water. “It’s better to be careful when it comes to kids. How old is she?”

  “Literally just a few days, Viria.” He chuckled. “You plucked her out of the air right when she was born.”

  “Sorry for that,” she said as she poured in the milk and set it on the stove. “I assure you I love babies and wouldn’t have hurt her in any way.”

  “You did scare us, though,” he said seriously. “Have your parents never freaked out over you getting lost?”

  She chuckled. “They abandoned me. So I’m not all that sure, to be honest. I guess I would definitely be on the brink of death if it happened to my child, too.”

  Kevin was silent for a moment. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

  “Eh...", she smiled at him. “It’s all right. I know people who’ve had it worse.”

  She swirled the pan and asked Kevin to check the temperature.

  “Perfect,” he said and she moved to pour in the milk, but held back.

  “This is plastic,” she said. “Use reinforced glass, man.”

  “What does plastic do?” He sighed as she rummaged around in the cabinets.

  “It has cancer causing properties that release upon heating and constant use,” she said as she found a bottle. “Lemme just boil this.”

  “I didn’t think children were so high-maintenance…” he said as he watched her arrange everything.

  “First kid, right?” she asked. “And you didn’t even get to go home or have her checked with a doctor. Lemme arrange that, too. It’s necessary procedure.”

  Kevin looked at her, baffled. “You’re doing a lot for us… Thank you, Viria, really.”

  “It’s a small service.” She shrugged and turned the stove on high, wishing she could get the work done quicker. Being in situations like these was awkward for her.

  “I have to lay out clothes for Mitch,” she said. “Pour the water out after ten minutes and put it in cold water from the tap to let it cool.”

  “Sure, okay,” he said and Viria disappeared with her bowl of somewhat soggy cereal. She went into the guest room that Yale had used. He was a young man in his thirties and liked dressing in jeans and shirts to relax. And Mitch was almost as tall as he was, if not taller.

  She went into the guest room she had instructed to Mitch and walked right in.

  I should’ve knocked, she thought and turned to sneak back out.

  “I’m in a towel, Viria.” He chuckled as he dried himself in front of the mirror, “It’s okay.”

  “You shower quick,” she said as she turned back around and laid the clothes on the bed. “Did you scrub the dirt off properly?”

  “As much as I possibly could,” he said as he reached for the shirt. He wasn’t as bony as he was when she’d first met him. His arms seemed to be getting bigger and the shirt didn’t look loose on him.

  “I’ll wash the clothes you were wearing,” she offered. “Where are they?”

  “I’ll get it done,” he said. “Just tell me where the washer is.”

  “Get dressed and I’ll just take you there,” she replied. If he was going to be her sidekick then he’d have to know how to get around and get things done, because it meant he would stay. She left the room and waited for him. He came out soon enough and she led him to the kitchen where another door took them to the laundry room.

  “I remember how to do this,” he said and went about doing so perfectly.

  “One less thing for me to stress about,” she joked.

  “Really, though, I can be very helpful.”

  “You have been,” she agreed. “I don’t doubt it.”

  He carried on and set the tim
er. Viria couldn’t help noticing his features. He must’ve been really handsome when alive. Defined facial features, light eyes that windows to a calm soul, and fair skin. His hair had grown into a fuzz on his head by now. He was healing pretty fast.

  She caught herself observing him too closely and looked away, plucking out her phone to check the time.

  “I think I might meditate for a while and then start working out, or read the books I was given by the Council of Heads maybe.”

  “Did you receive the rest of them?”

  “Not yet, no,” she said. “I want to let them adjust. I’ll be going to check on them today. Would you like to join me?”

  “Sure, definitely,” he said, leaning against the washer.

  “Breakfast?”

  “Don’t have much of an appetite right now, really.”

  “Cards?”

  “Viria, we’ve just started the day.” He chuckled.

  “I know, but it’s weird to not have something to look forward to,” she said. “There’s always some battle, investigation, or mission I’m on.”

  “You go meditate, okay? I’ll work out a bit and then we can head to my community. We’ll play cards when we’re back.”

  “Yes!” she cheered and threw her arms up in the air, then skipped out of the room to go upstairs. Mitch smiled and left the laundry room to head out, passing Kevin on the way.

  “You make her really happy,” he stated while pouring the milk in the bottle. Mitch stopped and turned to him. Maybe he did. He didn’t even use any dark energy this time.

  “I don’t know, maybe?”

  “You do,” he said. “She’s a real asshole, to be honest, but with a good heart. She’s been nicer and happier these days, though.”

  “I haven’t known her long enough to decide, really.”

  “Us shifters haven’t, either,” he said, “but long enough to figure out what she’s really like, I guess. It’s a nice change.”

  Mitch only nodded, not knowing how to respond. “I, uh, better go and, um—”

  “Yeah, sure,” Kevin nodded with a smirk and Mitch was off.