Dreamwalker's Bride - Chapter 223

Chapter 223: Confessing
Anxiety twisted into Ford’s stomach. The women cleared the table. As the ladies disappeared into the kitchen, he heard Mia’s whisper.

“Why does the name Martin sound familiar?”

Ford stored that information away for later use as he faced down the three men who now stared at him.

He hardened his expression, determined to keep it unreadable and stoic.

“Relax,” Trace shook his head. “It’s clear from the tension in your eyes that you know more than you’re willing to say.”

“Sir?” Ford decided to play his cards close, but the man shook his head.

“Do you know much about politics?”

The out of place question left Ford confused. “No.”

“Neither did I, until I married a woman deeply embroiled in them. It’s absolutely exhausting. People never say what they mean, keep secrets, tell half-truths to mislead, play games with rumors and innuendo and all sorts of other psychological tricks. Manipulative lot, on the whole.” Trace shook his head.

Ford remained quiet, as he watched the man stare ahead for a moment.

“I really hate it,” Trace continued, turning back to Ford. “I prefer farmers. Straightforward folk, no time for messing around. Tell things the way they are, cause we gotta get back to work. Are miners the same way?”

“I suppose…” Ford hesitated. Miners were straight talkers until there was a dangerous job to be done. Then it became a manipulative minefield of passing along responsibility.

“So then, you’ll respect a simple question and not play games with me when I ask you, why did Martin tell you to come here, specifically?” Trace’s face remained open. No judgment, no suspicion. It was difficult not to take him at his word that he meant no ill.

Ford took a deep breath. “He didn’t, exactly, tell me to come here.”

“Then it seems a great coincidence that you should leave there and find people who knew him.” Trace raised an eyebrow.

“That does seem strange,” Ford agreed.

“How did he die?” Trace asked.

“Mine collapse.” Ford answered simply.

“Do you understand what about your statement I find hard to believe?” Trace asked cryptically, but Ford fully grasped his meaning.

“He used up his magic saving me. I don’t know why he went back deeper into the mine, but he never came back out.” Ford’s fingers clenched under the table.

“I’ll come back to the strange change of personality from the man later,” Trace shook his head in slight disbelief. “Did you see him die, see his body, or not?”

“No,” Ford replied. Trace’s face changed slightly. Was it relief, or concern, or trepidation?

“What did you know of his magic?” The man returned to his barrage of questions.

“Not much,” Ford shrank under the man’s intense gaze. “He could manipulate rocks, but his power could run out. He told me he wasn’t born with his powers.”

“Did he say how he got them?”

“No. Do you know how he got them?” Ford went on the offensive. He was tired of being treated like a criminal. He hadn’t done anything wrong except disobey Martin’s last wish about burning the box.

Was that a crime? He was suddenly nervous. Was the map he still kept amongst his possessions something that would get him killed? Did it have something to do with how Martin got his magic? He’d thought the man was lying at the time, but Trace had confirmed it.

“Yes.” Trace answered without hesitation. “Why did you come here?”

The forthright answer was not what Ford had expected, and he was caught off guard. “You know how he got his powers?”

“I already answered that question, answer mine,” Trace pressed. “Why did you come here?”

Ford froze. Could he get away with a half truth?

“Martin left me his possessions. I wanted to run away before the mine owner tried to take them from me.”

“I’m impressed you could run at all,” Trace looked at the crutch. “But you’re still avoiding the question. Why here?”

“Is there something here important enough that I should seek it?” Ford glared.

“That’s what I’m asking you. And yet, you are refusing to answer. Because you have something to hide? A snake hidden amongst my family?” Trace’s voice was full of steel, and Grandpa laid a hand on his arm.

“Don’t be so hard on the boy,” The old man replied softly before turning to Ford. “Ford, you’re our guest. I won’t see you treated poorly. But you should know that Trace has ways of finding out secrets that can be a bit… unnerving. It will be better to tell us all now. We won’t hold it against you.”

Ford considered the man’s words. Grandpa had been kind, if a bit eccentric. Would it truly be easier to tell now?

“Martin had a map,” He answered at length. “I was following it.”

“He gave you a map?” Seth pursed his lips.

“He left all his possessions to me,” Ford defended himself.

“So you found a map and took it upon yourself to follow it. An intrepid explorer,” Grandpa interrupted before Trace could respond. “Can we see it?”

Ford gulped. He could try to lie, and say he didn’t have it. But they outnumbered him on top of being larger and stronger than he was. They could easily search his things and take it from him. He’d left the puzzle box behind at the mines in case anyone knew that Martin had such a thing, so it wouldn’t be missing. He wished he had it now.

“What will you do with it if I show it to you?” He asked softly.

“Depends on what’s shown,” Trace’s answer seemed honest.

“Then I don’t want you to see it,” Ford responded with the same honesty.

“Ford,” Grandpa, ever the peacemaker, spoke again. “It may be very important that we know what’s on the map. It may be even more important that we know whether anyone else has seen it.”

The youngest man in the room glanced at each of the others, trying to read their faces. Trace showed the most emotion, by far. His face held barely-contained frustration and worry. Seth was merely concerned. Grandpa offered a reassuring smile.

“Have we not earned even the smallest amount of trust from you, Ford?” He asked gently.

The young man resented it. Deeply. These rich people had taken care of him, and he owed them more than he would ever be able to repay… at least, without getting his hands on the treasure that must be in that cave.

“Fine.” He decided it was a losing fight. “I’ll show it to you.”