" Hello, sweet cheeks. Missed me," Graham greets me as soon as I step out of the bathroom, Shay scuttles at my feet ready to receive his much-earned pets, and kisses. As soon as I dig my fingers in his velvety fur, I feel the anger slowly leech away. I stay with my nose in Shay's fur until, I'm finally calm, collected, and a little bit more like myself.
" That bad huh?" Graham hums, and leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees watching me with a curious eye.
Sighing, I rise to my feet and zip up the bag, that I've packed the night before, foreseeing the need to leave in a rush.
" How did you find Varan?" I change the subject, and Graham laughs at my lack of tact.
" It was good. You would've loved it. Those people give a whole other meaning to the term filthy rich," He says drolly and shakes his head. Now, I kinda wished I would have gone with them.
" Did Mason find what he was looking for?" I stay on point because if I leave it to Graham to lead the conversation, we would be getting nowhere.
Graham nods, " Yes. It wasn't just a simple home invasion. They didn't take anything else, apart from one thing, " Graham pulls a drawn picture out of his pocket and hands it to me. It is very similar to a crown, but unlike any I have ever seen. It starts on the forehead where it's shaped like a v, and then the thick bands continue to the sides and meet at the back of the head. A few are marking edging the headwear but it's difficult to read since they are so small, and hand drawn.
" Antoine drew it for us when he found out it was missing," Graham adds, and scrubbed his face. They must be exhausted.
" What is it?" I stare at the picture trying to place it. Royalty is a thing from a distant past, but that crown is nothing like I've ever seen. It's an unusual shape, makes me frown.
Graham shrugs," Antoine said that it was his father's and know very little about it. He said that he would try to find anything related to it in his father's office but as far as he is concerned Landore never mentioned the piece as being something of value. It was found in one of the mines, a few decades back," Graham looks at me and shrugs. That is all he knows.
" Did you run into any trouble?" I notice a fading bruise on his cheek and a few scratches on the back of his hands.
"Let's just say we didn't get a chance to get bored, " He says enigmatically, " I'll let Mason fill in the gaps once he has been relieved of his duty of doting fiancée," Graham smirks, and plops back on the bed.
" He won't. I'm going back to the academy. So feel free to tell all that you know," I plop next to him, staring at the ceiling. Graham rolls to his side and sighs.
" You two have training tomorrow night. Ask him then," Graham's advice is good but I doubt we will have time to spin stories. Mason will want to focus on training. I do too.
" I will," I push myself off the bed, and grab the bag," Until next time Graham, " I lean in for a hug, and he hugs me back. Shay jumps off the bed, rigorously sweeping his tail left and right, and nudges my hand with his nose.
I give him a few pets, and the custom kiss on his forehead, before leaving the room. Graham doesn't follow, and neither does Shay, but he'll probably sleep for a week to make up for their little adventure into Varan District.
Ava's squeaky voice and giggles trickle through the corridor, and that sound will haunt my nights for the foreseeable future.
When I step inside the kitchen I notice that Ava is perched on Mason's lap, nuzzling his neck, while Enid is sitting at the table nursing a cup of tea wearing a grimace of disgust on her face. Mason, well Mason is Mason, and does what I'm sure it has taken years of practice to achieve. He is stiffly sitting in his chair with an arm around Ava's waist wearing a staunch expression. Our eyes meet briefly, and I'm slightly surprised when Ava's ass doesn't catch fire.
Enid looks at me, and nods," I'll walk out dear. Or better yet, if you give me a moment to pack my bags I'll come with you," Enid stands pushing the chair back with an ear-splitting screech, making everyone wince.
Mason clears his throat, " Thank you for keeping Enid company while I was gone," He says blandly, while Ava looks up at him with dreamy eyes as if he is the creator of everything on this earth. Jesus. If I look anything like her when I look at Mason, I might as well put an end to my misery because he doesn't deserve that kind of devotion.
" Of course. Have a good day," I say to the room because I just want to get the hell out of there. Because that sight is pulled straight out of my worst nightmares.
Enid links her arm through mine and leads me out of the kitchen to the sound of Ava making snarky comments at my expense.
" Take no notice," Enid says quietly, noticing that I've stiffened, " She doesn't know any better. You are better than she is. Remember that sometimes, having money and status doesn't necessarily put you above everyone else. A heart of gold and a kind spirit makes you a treasure, that any man would be lucky to have. If he doesn't see it, then it is not your responsibility to open his eyes. Ashley is a nice man, don't drag him into this just because you desire retribution," Enid stops in front of the double door and grabs my shoulders, " He seems to genuinely like you, and if you want to use him in some sort of game, don't," Enid's brows furrow, watching me with her doe eyes, and as much as I love that about her, that look she is giving me has taken down all my defenses. And I find myself reconsidering my plans to make Mason jealous.
" I'm not," Enid shushes me with her finger and candidly smiles at me.
" You wear your heart on your sleeve, my dear. And I know you well enough now," Enid suddenly pulls me in for a hug," I'll see you in a few days, now that you have more time on your hands. Don't let Ava keep you away, just like Mason did. This your home just as much as it is his," I muster a smile, and I find myself nodding, and sniffling.
Enid wipes a stray tear with her thumb, and kisses my cheek, " Now run along before the crazy comes after you," I giggle and lean in for another hug" I'll be back to check on you in a few days," I say quietly as I pull away.
" You do that," Enis says as I step outside, only to be greeted by a front of frigid air, and snow everywhere you look.