Page 52 of A Rift in the House of Bruin

Why was everyone so concerned about how he got here? He was here—safely away from Johan. What else mattered?

I made my way to his side. His handsome face was swollen and mottled with bruises. A large, oozing laceration over his right eye left caked trails of dried blood along his cheek. The celebratory attire he wore the night of the Crownspire was filthy, tattered, and dappled with macabre stains. Seeing him like this made my heart ache. His brothers were clearly taken aback by his return, and their interrogation only added to my sympathies. Were they not happy he was safe? I felt compelled to pull him aside and nurse his wounds.

“Jase, since no one else has said it,” I side eyed Nico, “welcome home. Please, let me help you settle in.” I spoke to him as though he were a fear-stricken animal on the verge of bolting. Offering my hand, I silently pleaded for his acceptance.

“Go with Michaela and get yourself cleaned up. We'll finish things here,” Nico dismissed him.

Fallon jumped into action, heading straight for the kitchen. “We’ll heat some water. You need a proper bath.”

Jase scowled at his family’s commanding tone. “I don’t need her help. But I see what’s going on here. I’d rather not speak infront of all these…” He looked around the room. “Who are these peasants anyway?”

The room remained awkwardly silent. Everyone’s eyes were on the new Bruin. I didn’t understand the response to his return. One less of our group was trapped in harm’s way. And Jase added one more able body to our ranks. Those months my sister had been missing in Neverland… I would’ve given my life to have her home safely. I didn’t care where she had been or what had happened. I was just happy to have her back. He didn’t deserve this interrogation—at least not the moment he arrived.

“I’ll fill you in later,” Nico said and I could tell by his tone that he was losing patience.

Refusing to take my hand, Jase reluctantly followed me back into the king’s room. “I’m sure we can find you something clean?—”

Before I could finish my sentence, he began to strip—pulling off his shirt and revealing another large, dark purple bruise over the right side of his ribcage. He was no stranger to torture. The wordtraitorhad been carved into his chest, a punishment for meddling in Neverland’s affairs. The corded, shiny scars were still clearly legible. I tried not to imagine the horrors he’d endured at the hands of Johan.

Fallon showed herself in, walking straight to the washroom with buckets in tow. “Give me a minute. I’ll be back with more,” she said, quickly heading back out of the room.

“The tub is?—”

“I know where the tub is, Michaela.”

“Sorry, of course you would know. Would you like some privacy?”

A delicate knock at the door interrupted our awkward exchange. Fallon was back with more buckets.

“My Divine,” she cursed under her breath. “You look like shit. What did they do to you?”

“Don’t act like you care now,” he chided. “Make yourself useful and give me one of your brimshade cigarettes. I could use some pain relief.”

Fallon reached into her pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and handed it to him. She looked at me for assurance, as if leaving me alone with her brother was cause for concern. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“We’re fine. You can finish up with the others.” I reassured her.

The click of the door closing behind her ushered in an awkward silence. Maybe I shouldn’t have sent her away so quickly?

Jase wasted no time lighting the brimshade, sighing with relief as he exhaled a large plume of pale grey smoke.

“I’m sorry about your brothers. I imagine that was not the way you envisioned your return.”

“They are what they are. Sovereignty requires a certain level of suspicion. But no, it didn’t go how I imagined.”

“May I help… clean your wounds?”

He huffed. “Would that make you feel useful, little human?”

“I sincerely want to help. You’ve clearly been through something horrific. Allow me to bring you some modicum of comfort.”

He didn’t answer but turned and walked to the washroom, dropping his pants in the entryway. “Are you coming to help, or was the offer all talk?”

I swallowed my inhibitions and followed him. Before I abandoned all decorum, I turned my back on him while he poured the warm water into the tub and sat down.

“What’s the matter, Mic? Never seen a naked male before?”

“I just—I… Uhh.”

---