" Nothing is happening," Mason breaks the suffocating silence after a good half an hour of trying to funnel any power to him. The reserves are empty. There is nothing there, so perhaps fighting my nature is not something that I can do.
Licking my lips," Maybe hoarding it is something necessary, before I can funnel it to you," He falls quiet, thinking.
After a few seconds, he nods," How long does it take for your stores to replenish?" Last time it took months, but I took the opportunity to learn how to release small amounts to avoid reaching a critical point.
" Months," I shrug, and his face falls.
" We don't have months Lily,"
" You think I don't know that," I snap and take a deep breath before I erupt like a volcano," I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just that Micah has put a bounty on my head, and now I'm being hunted by every V'asay in the seventeen Districts. I can easily cope with one, or maybe ten but I can't face an entire hoard as I am now, " His brows slowly creep up on his forehead, a little sympathy entering his eyes, or perhaps understanding. I don't know anymore. The man's moods change more often than I change my underwear.
When he keeps silent, I continue," What happened in Varan?" Graham's enigmatic answer has left me unsatisfied, and since we are making zero progress on the power siphoning front, might as well clear some of the mysteries Mason likes so much to surround himself.
He takes a deep breath, his shoulders slump and for just a split second he looks as if he has aged a thousand years in the time he took that breath," They stole one of the seals. I had no idea that Landore had it until Antoine showed me the drawing. So far, I haven't been able to locate more. And it is safe to assume that Micah has more than one. Landore just happened to be in their way, that is all there is that I know. The investigation is still ongoing, but Marie and Antoine are not in danger. They got what they wanted," He pauses for a moment and stares at our joined hands with resentful eyes," He didn't know what he had either," He says quietly," He thought it was some relic from a distant past," He seems lost in a world of his own as he recounts the events of the past week.
" We shared an interest in the past Landore and I. I guess now, I'll have to spread the word that I'm looking for the seals," Does everybody know about the existence of the damn things but me? I feel slightly frustrated at that thought.
Sensing my sudden vexation, he looks up at me, " No. It is only known because I've started asking questions in the past after Micah hired me to find them. The amount of rubbish I had to sift through, throughout the years is incredible. It was a stroke of luck that I've found four so far," He exhales, slowly lets go of my hands, and begins to toddle around the room lost deep in thought.
" How are keeping up with your training?" He pauses next to a wall and pulls two short wooden batons.
" It is difficult without an opponent," I say under my breath, and it is the truth. No matter how much I practice what T'aethi taught me, without having a living, breathing opponent doesn't compare.
He throws the baton at me, and I catch it mid-air," Good reflexes," He praises and I feel a little ball of warmth inside at his words. And I realise how much I crave his approval.
" Twist the middle ring," He does as he instructs me and from each end of the baton two more jut out locking into place with a click, creating a smooth seamless staff.
"Let's see what you've learned, " He challenges with a smirk, taking a fighting stance in front of me. For once I see the warrior inside him, the one that hides under an exquisite, perfectly pressed suit. I've never met that Mason.
Curiosity gets the better of me, and I want nothing more than to indulge him just to get a glimpse at this other Mason.
Stepping off the slab of stone, I position myself in front of him, gripping my staff with steely force.
" Loosen your grip on the staff," He corrects watching my hands. I find it difficult to relax since I've never fought with staff before. This is a first for me, but I have a feeling that Mason has done this countless times.
At a disadvantage, I chose to disregard his advice and watch his every move. No matter how much I love the man, this is a fight and I can't let what I feel for him sway the ruthlessness that T'aethi made sure to instil in me, beating me into a pulp.
That woman showed no mercy when it came to training me.
' The enemy won't take it easy on you Lele. So, nor will I'
It was a fair point on her part, but damn it hurt like a bitch the next day.
Smirking," Shall we begin," Mason says in a haughty tone, taking a small step forward, putting me on the edge. I'm feeling extra jumpy since I don't have anything else to back myself up other than my skills.
His grin has a sinister edge to it, and I'm starting to dislike the game he is playing.
Eventually, he puts me out of my misery and begins to twist and turn his staff in a show of skill that has me gaping at him, speechless.
The staff is moving so fast that I find it difficult to keep track of where it is going, all I see is a blur of movement.
The smug smile plastered on his face, has me digging my heels into the floor ready for an attack.
With one swing of his hand, he sends the staff my way so fast, that I feel before I even see it, hitting me dead on in the middle of my forehead. The staff clatters to the ground and I fall on my ass, very unladylike.
The throb of the dull pain in my forehead is nothing compared with the sense of shame that has my face burning up at a million degrees.
Mason's laughter fills the room, and I have to make an effort not to join him, because truth be told I'm incredibly embarrassed.
T'aethi would have had a field day with me at my failure to deflect such an easy attack.