Secrets of the Guardian (Waldgrave Book 3) by A.L. Tyler Page A

were comfortable sleeping arrangements for the regular staff in the form of twin size beds; both Mrs. Ralston and Cheryl had been offered regular rooms when Master Daray had died, and both had refused because they had grown so attached to the situation of rooming with each other and the other staff when they were around. The offer remained open to this day, in case if Cheryl had ever felt that she wanted more privacy, but Lena understood how close human-borns were to each other; they were family without asking or even knowing each other. Close enough to risk their lives for one another.
    Cheryl was curled up on her bed across the room, face pushed into her pillow as her sobs slightly shook her body. Lena walked over, still not sure why Cheryl had suddenly become so hysterical, and sat on the bed next to her. Cheryl turned her face to the side. Her eyes and cheeks were all red from being so upset. Lena reached out and ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it out of her face.
    “Cheryl, what’s wrong?” Lena asked. “Did I upset you somehow?”
    Cheryl only emitted a high pitched noise and sniffled, turning her face back into the pillow.   I’m so sorry. I can’t even tell you how sorry…You’re too good to me for not telling them. I’m going to be in so much trouble.
    “Okay,” Lena still didn’t understand why she was so upset—she was acting ridiculous, but there was clearly something that she had missed. “Okay, come here. It’s okay.”
    Lena hoisted Cheryl up to a sitting position so that she could put her arm around her shoulders. Cheryl leaned her face into Lena’s shoulder, and Lena used her other arm to brush her hair out of her face again.
    “It’s okay. We can fix it. Why don’t you just tell me what this was all about?”
    Cheryl gave another sniffle.  He told me no one would get hurt. That’s why I did it. He told me no one would get hurt.
    Cheryl was shaking. Lena felt her stomach drop; she already knew what Cheryl was about to tell her. It was Rollin. “Cheryl, what did you do, exactly?”
    Cheryl took pause before answering.  I stole your itinerary from your trip and some emails off of Howard’s computer and gave him some bank account stuff, too. He said the money was for hotels to get human-borns out of bad situations, and after Marie and everything…I’m so sorry! He never told me he wanted to buy guns and kill people!
    Lena tried to remain calm. Rollin had alluded to a spy inside Waldgrave; after so long, Lena had started to believe it had been an idle threat or an intimidation tactic. She knew Cheryl was sorry, and that she wouldn’t have done it if she’d known how crazy and violent Rollin really was; he could be deceptively diplomatic and charming when he needed to. She also knew the Council would kill her if they ever found out, given the current climate with regards to human-borns. She cleared her throat; it had gone dry. “You’re not still in contact with him, are you?”
    Of course not! But oh, my God, if he ever finds me…He sent me an email after he killed all those people and you got away, and he wanted me to find a way to sneak people in here at night, and I said I wouldn’t do it and he said I was a traitor and that he’d kill me! After what he did to Devin…he’s a monster. I’m afraid, Lena. If I stay here, he’ll find me eventually, I’m sure. And I can’t leave because he’ll find me then, too.
    Cheryl went silent. Lena’s mind was buzzing. There was only one thing to do about it. “Cheryl, I need you to tell me and show me everything you gave to him. All of the emails and which bank accounts. Can you do that?” Lena tilted Cheryl’s chin up so that their eyes met.
    Cheryl nodded. She wiped at her eyes and whimpered. “Lena, it wasn’t just me. It was a lot of people, at the last Council. He said if we just took a little from everyone, then none of the Council members would notice. So many of the bills and shopping and stuff gets handled by