Shadows

Jaylen entered, his hair mussed up like he’d been raking through it. His eyes were bloodshot, and his clothes the same as last time I woke.

I wondered what had kept him up, what had required more attention than his health. Jaylen looked at me imploringly with a weak smile. I wondered what he wanted, but bit my tongue because then he entered.

I stared him in the face unblinkingly, but my insides were quaking. It was the man from the room I busted out of. He didn’t look near as angry, but he was most definitely agitated with something, myself probably.

He gave me a tight smile, and though I sensed the stress in it, there was also true kindness behind it, also. This was only a small comfort in comparison to the looming conversation.

“Hello Sofia, I’m so delighted you are feeling better. You have given a good numbers of scares in the past week and a half.” We-ee-eek?!?!?!

“But you have pulled through the worst of it quite nicely. Jaylen and the maid have taken the best care of you. You should be up and about in a day or two. I trust you are prepared for our upcoming events here?” he inquired, staring at me expectantly. I cleared my throat like I hadn’t talked in a week.

“Upcoming—events? I don’t understand. Where am I, and why am I here?” I articulated my question with directness laced with respect. This man, who I assumed to be Master Beaumont, was intimidating, and I thought it would be a very bad move to demand things and seem insolent.

Jaylen sighed heavily, leaned to Master Beaumont, and whispered something in his ear. The man’s eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed in frustration and anger.

“It seems we have a lot to talk about, Sofia. You don’t even know who you are, do you?” he asked exasperatedly, pinching the bridge of his nose. I blinked, absolutely bewildered. Jaylen ran his hand through his hair.

“I know who I am! Jeez, I don’t have amnesia!” I insisted. Master Beaumont shook his head.

“That is not what I meant Sofia. I meant do you know what you are?”