Page 127 of Outcast’s Vow

Two other Castaways Elders are present when I step into my father’s downtown skyscraper office.

Cromwell and Leopold.

I know who these men are. I’ve met them both over the years. They’ve been to my home. They’ve seen me grow up.

And they both clearly want to be the Supreme Elder of the Castaways.

It doesn’t take a genius to decipher that.

They glare at me in silence as I walk in. I immediately sense the tension in the room. They’ve been locked in a deep and serious conversation with their Supreme Elder, and I’m rudely interrupting it.

Father greets me with one solemn word.

“Sylvie.”

“What’s going on?” I demand of all present. “Why have I been called here?”

I’m so over all this secrecy and what my soul’s been through today. I’m tired of all this Castaways bullshit. I’m tired of men in general and the games they play with women’s hearts.

“Have you seen your husband today?” Cromwell asks me, his voice silky like a deviously cunning cat luring in its prey.

I shake my head at his question.

“Have you seen him?” my father asks curtly. “Answer us, daughter.”

“No, I haven’t seen him. Now let’s cut through this mysterious crap and just tell me what’s going on.”

Cromwell looks at Father. Father looks at Leopold.

“You want me to tell her?” Leopold asks.

“Go ahead, Elder Anguish.”

“Baptiste has broken the Code of the Castaways,” Leopold confirms, his voice dancing with barely concealed delight. “And therefore, he is expelled from the Order.”

I blink.

“What? He’s expelled?”

My knees are weak. But I have to stay strong, especially in front of these men.

“He was offered a gift and refused it, demonstrating a lack of loyalty,” Leopold continues. “As I’m sure you know, it’s in our Code not to refuse an Elder’s gift.”

“I... I... he...”

I’m stammering. Shit.

Expelled?

I don’t believe it.

“Has Baptiste spoken to you about this?” Cromwell asks, interjecting. “This is serious, Sylvie. Has he mentioned anything?”

“I haven’t seen him,” I reply matter-of-factly. “He’s disappeared. He’s ghosted me. The gift... I didn’t know...”

Cromwell shrugs at Leopold as if to say, see?

“That’s it, then,” Father mutters. “She knows nothing.”