Chapter 434: A Name That Refused to Exist

Some Minutes Before

Eldric pushed his glasses up again with shaking fingers.

His eyes were wide in shock.

He turned slowly back toward the new parchment beneath his hands, staring at it.

"It’s changed," he whispered softly.

"...What?" Lysander asked him.

Eldric swallowed.

"The vision," he said. "It has changed."

"Eldric," Brynhild called out softly. "You told us yourself that once a vision is seen, there is no changing it."

"Yes," Eldric said with a nod. "But this... I don’t understand why, but something... it’s changed. Sophia isn’t in trouble anymore. She doesn’t need saving. She’s... she’s safe."

Lysander had not taken his eyes off him.

Not since he stepped into the council hall. He was only quiet because the others had just gone with it. Like the person in front of them speaking from Eldric’s body wasn’t strange at all.

"Who are you?" Lysander asked him.

Eldric looked up.

For a brief moment, something unreadable passed through his face.

Then he shook his head.

"I can’t tell you who I am."

Caspian straightened slightly.

"You stand in the council hall," he said calmly. "In front of the elders of this pack. And you still refuse to tell us who you are?"

Eldric swallowed.

"You owe us that much," Madam Tyler said softly. "Especially after all this talk of visions."

Eldric’s hands tightened around the quill still lying on the table.

"I understand," he said quietly.

"But I still cannot tell you who I am. I told you before, if I tell you who I am, if I tell you my name, then I wouldn’t be able to answer any of the questions you will ask after."

A look passed between Caspian and Daniel.

Madam Tyler cleared her throat.

Her voice was gentle as she spoke.

"Eldric," she said, "are you... from our time?"

Eldric’s gaze lifted to her.

Then he shook his head.

"No, I am not."

Madam Tyler wasn’t surprised, although the others were.

"I am from a time older than this. A time long forgotten. I only exist because it is here... this land. And because I swore to be back," he told them.

His words only resulted in them having more questions for him.

But before anyone could even speak, his hand trembled violently. A sharp, broken sound tore from his throat.

He folded forward slightly, one hand clutching at his side.

Mary stepped toward him instinctively.

"What’s wrong?"

Lysander was already on his feet, ready to help.

"Eldric—" he said as he tried to close the distance.

But Eldric lifted his hand, signalling him to stop.

"I’m alright," he said shakily.

His breathing was uneven, and his eyes were closed too.

"You are in pain," Lysander told him.

"I know," Eldric said shakily. "It’s just..."

His fingers curled tighter into the fabric of his clothes.

"...my time is almost up."

Lysander stared at him with a frown.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked quietly.

Eldric opened his eyes again and stared at Lysander with glassy eyes.

"I have very little time to remain here as Eldric. I am only holding on long enough to speak with Sophia... and Orion also," he told him.

"I need to know how it happened," Eldric whispered.

His voice trembled.

"I need to understand why and how it happened."

Daniel stepped forward.

His voice was calm.

But there was steel under it.

"If you are not willing to tell us who you are," he said, "then we cannot simply allow you to walk freely through the pack."

Eldric nodded.

"I understand. I’m sorry I can’t speak to you guys. If Orion was here, then I would have told him, but he isn’t, and I will only tell him and Sophia who I am."

"For everyone’s safety," Daniel continued, "you will be held in the dungeons until Orion and Sophia return."

Eldric nodded again.

"I understand."

Caspian glanced sideways at Daniel.

Then back at Eldric. He was accepting it so easily.

"No," Brynhild said then.

Every head turned to her.

"Not the dungeons," she said quietly.

Daniel paused.

"Brynhild—"

She turned slightly toward him.

"If you lock him in the dungeons," she continued, "people will notice."

Her hands rested lightly against the edge of the table.

"They always notice."

Madam Tyler shifted.

Brynhild lifted her chin.

"This pack is already unsettled. The trainees are not back. Orion ran out of the pack compound, a child not belonging to the pack was brought in injured with a pouch that has Tobias’ scent over it, a dead body from the enclave being found in the forest which none of the scouts had seen when they went there, Trihydras so close to the pack compound and not one but two..."

She turned her face back toward Eldric’s direction.

"...We place him in the dungeons and more vicious rumours will arise, along with more unrest."

Daniel frowned.

Mary nodded slowly.

"She’s right," she said.

"If anyone hears an elder was dragged into the dungeons, they’ll assume the worst."

Caspian exhaled quietly, nodding along.

"How about house arrest?" Mary asked them. "Eldric is not exactly a people person, preferring to stay with his books," Mary added.

"And Jeffrey," Caspian said with a smile. "But Jeffrey isn’t in the pack now."

"Yeah... I’m sure he would have noticed that his husband wasn’t exactly his husband if he was. We wouldn’t be finding out now," Daniel said with a nod.

"House arrest will not raise suspicion," Madam Tyler said with a nod.

Eldric nodded too.

"That is true."

Caspian rubbed his thumb briefly against his knuckle.

He looked between Daniel and Brynhild.

Then back at Eldric.

"Goddess tits!" Caspian swore. "The fact that he’s agreeing to all this is weird."

"Very weird," Daniel said with a nod.

Daniel and Caspian exchanged another look.

Then Daniel inclined his head.

"Very well."

He turned toward Mary.

"House arrest."

Mary nodded once.

"I’ll go with him," she said quietly. "The rest of you can take the time to update Lysander on everything he’s missed. I’m sure he has questions."

Lysander chuckled. "That I do," he said, laughing.