Secrets Kept, Secrets Revealed

Write On Edge gave a prompt this week around the word core.  While I've already written one piece exploring the idea of a person's core, I continued to think about it.  Following Emma's story that started back during the prompt about Dusseldorf, here is part of her search for the core.  If you've missed it, click the link below for the previous parts of the story.

One Night in Dusseldorf

Without further adieu, here's Secrets Kept, Secrets Revealed

“How-?  What do you-?  I mean,” I fought to keep my careening mind from going down in a spectacular wreck.

Kris moved across the cave with a predator’s supreme grace to tower over me.  His golden eyes reflected the faint light like golden pools at sunset.  His scent reminded me of a rich, loamy forest after a fresh rainfall.  I felt myself relaxing, my frantic thoughts calming near him.

“How do I know what you’re looking for?  What do you mean my sister?  I mean, what are you talking about?” he whispered.

I nodded, mesmerized by the way the shadows danced across his finely sculpted face.

“Brayden is mine.  He tells me what he knows.  He sent you to me because I am one of the few who can help you find out what happened to your sister.”

The shock of hearing Brayden’s name from this man snapped me out of the reverie I was falling into staring at this man’s striking appearance.  It took me a second or two to process what he said.

“What?  Brayden is yours?  Tell me what you know about my sister,” I couldn’t talk fast enough with the flare of pain and anger at comprehending his words.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught the look James shot Kris.  Kris stepped away from me with a dark look back at James.  Clearly there was something more going on here than I was catch on to.

“Do you think perhaps there are better places and times to be discussing this subject?” James broke the silence.

“Yeah.  Let’s go,” Kris’s manner had changed.  Even his voice was rougher, colder.  He stalked out into the damp forest.

James took my arm to lead me out after Kris.  He stopped when I didn’t budge.  I just looked at him, waiting.

“I am sorry, Emma.  We do not have time for this.  We must leave, now.”

“Not until I get an explanation as to what the hell is going on here,” I stood waiting, my arms crossed.  I didn’t know if James realized I had a pair of Glock 27s beneath my jacket.

He studied me for several seconds before turning his back and scrubbing his hands through his dark hair.  I guess he didn’t know about the guns.  He had about thirty seconds longer before he’d find out about them in a less than pleasant manner.

“Look, Emma, you are straying into a world of which you know nothing.  Please, trust me when I tell you this is not the place to discuss serious matters.  We will meet Kris in a safer location and you will receive your answers there.  You have my word.”

“And how good is that word?”

Kris’s shadow darkened the mouth, “If you two want safe passage out of here, you’d better follow now.  I can’t promise anything after I leave.”

The two men stared at me, waiting.  The only trouble was I didn’t know if I could trust either of them.