" That bourbon would be nice right about now," He hisses through clenched teeth, grimacing at the pain. This is not how I imagined my night would go.
" I'll be right back," I quietly say, he nods and I make my way into the kitchen in search of the said bourbon.
My mind doesn't register the pain any longer. All I think is what Mason said. The fantastical story that seems almost too impossible to be the truth. But then again, I somehow managed to change our destiny by taking us across realities.
Impossible or not. It has happened.
I rummage through the larder, and I find on the floor, several bottles lined up. After a few tries I find my target and place it on the kitchen island and I begin pilling food on a tray. Is not much, but it will have to do. There is bread, cheese, fruit, and a few biscuits. Mason doesn't exactly have a sweet tooth like I do, but I've seen him enjoy a sweet treat here and there.
When I slip back into the room, I find him sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the bathroom door with such intensity that I'm afraid it might burst into flames.
I clear my throat and he finally turns his attention to me. I place the tray next to him, hand him the bottle, and turn to the table to bring him a glass.
When I turn around he is already guzzling the bourbon out of the bottle, like is water.
" Easy, there," I slowly pull the bottle away from his lips, and he reluctantly lets it go.
" It helps with the pain," He rearranges his leg, and hisses.
" I bet it does," I say casually, and point towards the bed.
" Lie down. I need to clean the blood off the floor," It comes out rather coldly and commandeering. I struggle to get my bearings. This is crazy. That is all I can think of.
He shuffles on the bed and I turn around to go to the bathroom to get a towel to clean the blood off the floor. By the time, I return he is already undressed, and lounging on my bed with the bottle of bourbon resting on his stomach. I'm covered in his blood. I'm on autopilot. I move mechanically, like a doll on strings. I'm not the one pulling the strings.
Cold clotting blood sticks to the floor like glue, and it's nearly impossible to wipe. Sweating, I wipe my brow and smear more blood onto my face. I'm on the verge of crying again. Taking a deep breath, I blink away the tears and focus on wiping the blood off the floor.
Somehow, I manage not to crash and burn by the time, I've finished cleaning the floor.
Mason is quiet, and I raise my head to see if he is asleep but instead, I find him staring at the ceiling with a blank expression.
My breath catches in my throat. He is still as a dead person.
" Mason," I whisper and he hums taking his eyes off the ceiling to look at me.
" Nothing," I say under my breath. Pushing off the floor I make my way out of the bathroom to dispose of the bloodied towels and change my clothes.
My skin doesn't feel my own. Trembling, I wash the blood off my hands, in a trance. I'm scrubbing, and scrubbing but it doesn't come off. It's still there. It doesn't wash away no matter how much I try.
" Hey," Mason turns off the tap and grabs my hands. I don't dare to look at him. Still staring at my hands, I watch as blood drips off them onto the floor, pouring out, gallons of it pooling at our feet. I can't stop the macabre vision from unfolding.
" Vidris asmerat, " Mason whispers and I gasp, the vision fades. The room fills with a bright purple-white light, and I finally raise my eyes to look at him.
Little filaments of light, thin as a spider's web radiate from him, flowing into me. The brilliant purple-white light that bathes both of us, makes him look almost otherworldly.
Breathing harshly, I swallow and he catches that motion.
" Ayatollah alizzee, " That word that Micah said and I finally see the light surrounding us intensify, almost blindingly.
" What are you doing to me," I breathe, panicking. I can't take my eyes off him. At this point it is all I can see is him. The icy blue that threatens to swallow me whole. And I'd willingly drown in his eyes a thousand times over.
" Nothing that hasn't been done already. I'm just allowing you to see,"
" Ifidris," He whispers and the light begins to wane, fading, until it completely vanishes.
" Your mother came to see me eighteen years ago. You were a baby. I was a child. You were just as beautiful then as you are now. I couldn't take my eyes off you. It was the first time I wanted to have something for myself. I never asked Enid for anything. Not until that day," He swallows, " I didn't realise until months ago. It's complicated, but what you are, is only a half," He licks his lips, and draws a breath, "Your mother has bound your powers to me. I'll explain, but I need you to stay level," Please. I was levelled.
" Please stop. I'm begging you. Stop speaking. This is getting worse by the minute," I pull my hands out of his and walk out of the bathroom. Air. I need air. And there is none in the room.
I feel his hands on my shoulder, and somehow my wish is granted, because we are not in Zareen anymore. We are somewhere else. That is definitely not in Morston anymore. Because there is no record of the beautiful place we ended up in.