So Leta once again gave them the story that she had given Koa - that she had been hurt during an excavation and woke up in the hospital with strange abilities.
Eriene and Alister nodded along with her story until she started to go into detail about the powers that she had.
"Electrokinesis, you say?" Eriene asked.
"I wouldn't say it's me controlling electricity. More like I can create a really, really big static shock when I touch something. The shock itself won't affect me, but as we learned, that doesn't make me impervious to whatever I'm touching."
"She turned two branches into shrapnel bombs. Nearly killed herself then and there." Koa commented.
"And yet here she stands, whole and hearty without so much as a splinter." Eriene observed.
"Yeah, uh… this is where it gets gross… I can absorb stuff. It's not life force or vitality or anything. I'm not really sure how to say it, but certain things I can touch and absorb something important and I can use that to heal me."
Alister frowned, his cheery face barely hinting at the violence that he could no doubt inflect if he felt his people were threatened. "Explain."
"When I was in our apartment, I touched some food items - fruit and eggs and stuff - and realized that I was more energized after touching them. It kind of felt like when you've had that first sip of coffee - you're not caffeinated or entirely awake, but you're ready for that. I noticed that I got that feeling with items that had higher amounts of protein like meat, which, like I said, is how I met Koa. During the battle, I touched the werewolf - er - Loupgaru, and it was like caffeine from a pot of coffee hit me all at once and I started healing."
"Does that sound like anything to you?" Koa asked Eriene.
The elderly woman shook her head, "No, I've never heard of such an odd combination of gifts. But as we know, the gods work in strange and mysterious ways. I suggest we wait until Ismene wakes and Simon returns from his venture to discover the truth."
"Uh, I can't stay all night here guys. I sort of snuck out to go to that butcher and my group thinks I'm staying in watching TV. If they find out I'm gone, I'm in serious trouble with that mind control guy. You guys have never seen a Canadian pissed off, and I pray you never will."
Three heads shot up at her statement.
"Mind control?" Eriene said slowly, breaking out each syllable individually as if each one held importance.
"Um, yeah." Leta squeaked with concern at the ominous vibe she was feeling from the group, "I got falsely arrested earlier. When I was at the police station a guy walked into the interrogation room and I could tell he was trying to get into my head but I was just barely able to keep him out. I'm pretty sure he used this mind manipulation ability to get the police to detain me."
"Describe him." Allister commanded.
"Tall, lanky like he didn't have a lot of muscle. Pale as could be with dark hair and green eyes. Now that I think about it, his fingernails were a bit too long. He just seemed like a bad dude, you know?"
"Did you get a name?" Koa pushed.
"John Alaric. I remember thinking that it was a weird last name for Greece." Leta replied.
The three Chosen seemed to collectively lean back at the name, as if hearing it alone were distasteful. A look seemed to pass between them, and Allister stood up to his full imposing height.
"Sorry, lass, but we'll need to keep ya here for a bit. If ya ran afoul of Alaric he could have planted something in yer mind. You could be his agent and no' even know it."
"Uh… no thanks." Leta gulped, standing up and trying to put distance between herself and the giant, "I'd like to leave now."
"I'm afraid that's not possible, dear." Eriene intoned. She stood as if she were a queen giving an order, head straight and shoulders back, "If you are indeed an unknowing agent of Alaric, then your very presence would have put all of us and our allies in danger."
Koa said nothing, merely looking disappointed as his grip on one of his short swords tightened.
"He tried but he wasn't successful. Trust me, I know." Leta tried to reason with them.
"And how would you know? Alaric is a devious and powerful villain who could have hidden orders to kill us all so deep inside your mind you would think it was nothing more than a dream. You will stay here until we can make sure we're all safe." The older woman stated as if it were simply a fact of life.
Allister and Koa moved as one, walking over to her as if to grab her arms and tie her down.
Leta raised her hands, silvery snaps of electricity cracking between her fingers as if in warning.
The two paused before the giant warned, "Don't make this harder than it needs to be, lass."
"You guys seemed like nice people until you started threatening me with imprisonment. I've dealt with it once already today and I'd like to not have a repeat. Don't make me tase you." Leta warned back, keeping up the lightning display.
A yawn seemed to break the tension as a beautiful dark skinned woman entered the living space.
Her amber eyes were half-lidded with sleep and was dressed in a linen shift gown and beige shawl that was listing slightly to the side, exposing her shoulder.
What surprised Leta the most were the glowing lines that criss crossed her body. From hairline to chin line, over her neck, down her shoulders and encircling her wrists, the soft yellow glow under her skin made her appear almost ethereal, like a deity in human form.
Full lips pursed as the newcomer took in the scene in front of her.
"Why are you threatening our newest member?" She yawned, one dainty hand half covering her mouth as the other rubbed sleep from her eyes.
"What do you mean, Ismene?" Allister inquired.
"Hm…" Ismene moaned in tiredness, trudging over to the kitchen in search of something. She took her time to pour herself several shots of espresso from the moka pot on the stove, pouring a tooth aching amount of sugar and creamer before turning back and frowning as if this was the first time she was seeing everyone.
"Why are you guys fighting?" She asked, her accident markedly American.
"Ismene, dear," Eriene stepped forward towards her, "You said 'newest member', can you explain?"
The glowing woman frowned before meeting Leta's gaze with confusion. "You're not part of the team yet? Is this the first time you're meeting us?"
"Uh… yes?"
Ismene sighed in self depreciation before taking a big gulp of espresso. "Darn. Getting the timeline mixed up again. My bad."
To Allister and Koa, she said, "Don't be mean. This is Leta and she's super important to all of us."
It was the men's turn to look confused. "Huh?"
"Yeah, Leta's really powerful - oh, wait. Sorry, just remembered this is the first time you're meeting us. Leta WILL be really powerful in the future." She gave Leta a wink and mouthed 'spoiler alert'.
To the three Chosen, she said, "Leta's not our enemy, she's a friend. So calm down you guys."
Then with a smile, she walked casually over to a sofa as if nothing had happened. "Oh yeah, Eriene. Could you add creamer to the shopping list for next time, please and thank you? I just used up that jug."