Louis is indeed waiting at Graham's place, but Graham is nowhere in sight. He is probably sleeping, since Shay is missing as well.
" Miss," Louis greets me, courteous as ever, and I have to fight the urge to roll my eyes. I've already told him to stop calling me that, but since I passed out right after, he hasn't taken any notice of it. A weakling like myself has no right to make such demands.
" Hi, Louis. Please stop calling Miss. Lily is fine. No one will have your head dor it," I say as lightly as possible. Mason has them walking on a tightrope when it comes to mannerisms. He never lets up around them. The lines he has drawn are so clear that I'm pretty sure you can see them from outer space.
" Very well," Louis replies stiffly, " Mr Kinnaird contacted me and I was told to be prepared to spend the night," Louis picks up a small bag off the floor, slinks it over his shoulder and heads for the door.
Tension lines Louis's posture, as he grabs the door handle, and I'm not quite ready to go. I just climbed what probably is a thousand steps today. I'm not keen on doing it again. But someone has to show him where the barrack is, and Shay has done quite a few trips today. I don't want to risk endangering his well-being for the sake of our commodity. Which means we will probably end up spending the night in Meza. And head back to Morston in the morning, if things settle.
Ignoring the loud protest of my muscles, I manage to climb the steps one more time, while leading the way to the barracks. We greet the few people that are out on a stroll, just to avoid looking suspicious. Louis seems to be on high alert. It is safe to assume that the man can hold his own in a fight since Mason is very proficient in that field.
We reached the barrack without any incidents, I don't think I could handle it anymore in such a short amount of time. First Timeea and now the man lying with one foot in the grave in the barrack. I've reached my quota for weird to last me at least several months in one day. Unfortunately, I have no control over other people's actions, so I suppose, come what may I'll have to take it with my chin up and shoulders squared.
Mason stands as soon as we step inside, closing the distance between him and Louis, and shake hands.
" Thanks for coming Louis. I know it's not the best time, but I promise. It will be just for tonight," Mason gestures towards the man on the bed," Hopefully by tomorrow he will feel well enough to survive the trip with Shay's help," Great minds think alike. I bite down a smile while Louis scans the man's body with his eyes. Curiosity and apprehension line his features so clearly, and I find it refreshing to be able to see them without obliterating my neural network.
" Do you know what happened to him?" Louis pulls on the corner of the blanket and looks at the patched-up wounds on the man's torso. There are quite a few. Not a pretty sight. None deep enough to cause internal damage but enough to bleed out without proper care. Whoever has done this to him knew what they were doing.
Torture is a popular technique when extracting information from an uncooperative subject. Or so Mason says. I'm guessing he is an expert on that front. For me on the other hand, just the thought of hearing someone scream makes my stomach roil.
How do you even reconcile the man who runs a manufacturing business, a charity to help the unfortunate, the man who has sacrificed his happiness striking a deal with the mayor in order to achieve a lifelong dream, rebuilding the Quarter? With the man that can fight unlike anyone I've seen before, can put a blade through your heart and then casually go about his day. A man who is willing to torture and be tortured in the name of honour and to protect his own.
I can't. He is a living and breathing contradiction. One that doesn't quite make sense to me. Nonlinear character. Not simple, but not quite complicated.
" We should go," The feel of his hand on the small of my back drags me back to the present. Louis watches impassively as Mason steps closer to my side. For a moment there is no reaction, I'm guessing Louis is experiencing mild shock because his eyes trace Mason's arm, the one that he has wrapped around my waist.
After a few long seconds pass, his eyes settle on Mason's, and then nods solemnly, " I will take care of it, boss. Will see you in the morning," Louis drops in the chair that Mason vacated and wiggles a bit in his seat which wobbles left and right.
" Take the other one. It's just as uncomfortable but you won't feel like you're falling out of the chair every time you take a breath," Mason says, giving my hip a light squeeze.
We say our goodbyes and head back to Graham's in companionable silence. Mason lost in his thoughts, and I lost in mine.
Soon, this little adventure will end and we have to give back to reality. Truth be told, it feels a bit, bittersweet. Fear grips me, squeezing me tight at the thought of our situation. I don't know about Mason, but I don't want to return to the 'before'.
The academy is a safe ground, but his presence within its walls will raise a handful of eyebrows. Moving back to Northenhay is out of the question since Ava is haunting its corridors.
As much as I see her as an inconvenience, I also pity the poor girl. Even if she didn't have a hand in orchestrating this scheme with her father, I can't imagine the humiliation she will have to live through when everything comes crashing down.
Mason kisses my temple, and I smile at the feel of his lips on my skin, and the gentleness of his caress.
I do not seek vengeance. I only seek to take what's rightfully mine.
And Mason is mine. He belongs to me and with me. I feel rather territorial about him all of a sudden.
Perhaps, it is because he has laid it out in black and white for me to see that he is not giving up on us either. He never has.
Even when I did.