Page 39 of Runes To Rain
With that settled, he says, “Come on,” and heads towards the door.
I slowly comprehend that the room is mostly clear of people, and the other boys are nowhere to be seen. I follow Lent to the carriage. For a moment before I climb through the open door, I hope that maybe he is taking me home by himself. Unfortunately, my luck isn’t nearly good enough for that. Instead, I’m faced with Dio’s glare as I sit on the seat across from him next to Reem.
Dio opens his mouth to say something, but Lent cuts him off. “Pretty sure she’s been sufficiently scolded, old chap,” he says, and while the words are friendly, his tone isn’t.
Dio shuts his mouth and looks out the window, and I relax a little.
Reem turns to look at me. “Are you ok?” he asks.
Instead of responding, I look at Lent and he says, “She’ll live.”
Reem grumbles quietly but doesn’t ask again.
Lent meets Fem’s eyes across the carriage. Something unspoken seems to pass between them before he looks back at me and winks. Glad he isn’t sharing with Dio that I got hurt, I can’t help but smile at him, thanking him silently for keeping the secret.
Then I close my eyes and lean my head against Reem’s shoulder and the back of the seat as the carriage starts out on the journey home.
Before I know it, the journey is over, the movement of the carriage slowing and then finally coming to a stop. Lent climbs out first, offering me his hand as I step down. I’m careful not to whimper and give Dio more ammunition. I thank Lent quietly and then walk with him through the door of the mansion.
As we all get through the door, I hear Fem, who’s behind me, say, “Let’s go get you checked out just to be safe.”
As I wait for him, I hear Dio begin to say something, but I notice movement out of my peripheral vision, and I note that Reem and Lent are moving to stand in front of him, placing themselves between us.
Reem says, “We need to talk.” His voice is harsher than I’ve heard it.
Before I can pay attention to what’s going on with them, Fem rests his hand gently on my shoulder, and when I look at him, he points towards the office. I follow him through the door, and he closes it behind us as I settle on the couch.
I unbutton my shirt without being asked as he grabs hismedical kit. I brace myself, waiting for a lecture, but it doesn’t materialize. Instead, I see concern on his face.
“What exactly happened?” he asks.
I had the whole carriage ride to think about what I would say if I were asked more questions, so I have a response prepared. “I thought I saw someone I recognized and went to find them. I know it was idiotic, and I wasn’t following Reem’s orders. I broke a promise to him, and I’m sorry.” My voice shakes, and I can’t make myself meet Fem’s eyes.
“Who did you think it was?” he asks, seemingly ignoring the rest of my statement.
I begin to say Bonum’s name, but catch myself and instead say, “The healer you brought here to tend to the injury on my leg.”
When I catch his eyes, I see that he’s noticed the omission, but when I don’t say anything further, he sighs and reaches out to pull back my shirt.
I hold open my shirt again as his fingers prod at my side, pulling a whimper from me at the increased pain.
“Speaking of healers…” he mutters. After a moment or two, though, he sighs again and says, “Let’s see your hand.”
I hold it out and get a look at it for the first time, noticing the angry bruising that covers it.
Fem pokes and prods at my hand and has me make a fist. It hurts, but in the end, he determines it's just bruising.
“Put that ointment on both and get some rest,” he says. “I want you in bed for the next two days. I'll check on you frequently, and if anything changes for the worse or you aren’t mostly healed up in that time, we’ll be getting a healer.”
I nod, still waiting for a lecture, but again it doesn’t materialize. I start to button my shirt, but wince as I struggle to do so with my injured hand.
He sighs and does the buttons for me. Then he opens the office door and begins to follow me to my room. The other boysare nowhere to be seen. I’m midway across the entrance hall, heading for the hallway that leads to my bedroom, when I hear Dio’s voice and freeze. Fem moves closer to me, but he remains quiet as I turn to Dio.
Dio is still wearing his band outfit, but he’s removed the jacket and vest and unbuttoned the top couple of buttons of the crisp white shirt beneath. Because of the open collar, I can see more of the tattoos that crawl up his collarbone to the base of his neck. He’s rolled up the sleeves as well, his tattooed forearms on display. I note that small, straight scars and partially healed cuts cover his forearms. Something, likely one of Malam’s memories, tells me that it is the cost of using blood for dark magic. His hair is also mussed as though he’s continued to run his hand through it.
It’s the most rumpled I’ve seen him, and something about his appearance makes me want to lash out at him even more. As I glare at him, standing with one hip cocked, he glares back. I turn to walk to my room, not interested in engaging in a staring competition, but I hear him begin to speak and pause.
“I hope you understand why I’m angry,” he says. His voice is a quiet growl.
