Page 146 of Remnants: Disruption
Hey, stop it.
I shake my head a little and refocus on her.
“How?” she asks, voice soft and eyes heavy lidded.
“Start with basics and work into manipulating the Affliction. I know you can drain it out of people and counteract powers, so we can start there.”
Something flashes through her orange irises that raises the hair along my arms. But it’s gone before I can acknowledge it.
“We will have to find a private area for it,” she says, scooting a little to the end of the bed. “And we should probably go see if anything has changed with—”
There’s a rapid series of knocks on the door that doesn’t seem to actually startle or surprise her.
“I could feel them coming,” she grumbles, grabbing her shirt from off the ground.
I take one final look at the perfect body before she slides the shirt over her chest and tucks it in.
She crosses the bedroom, then pauses before leaning over and pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. Then to my lips.
“Meet me out there in a few minutes?” she asks, and I nod quickly before she strides from the room. I watch as she moves swiftly down the hall of her small apartment.
Her mask and shields are already up before she reaches the kitchenette in the main living area. And by the time I see her turn for the front door, she looks impassive and uncaring. Unfeeling.
Which I know is total bullshit.
I slide off the bed and quickly change into an extra pair of Tempest clothes. The blessing of being with someone as tall as Cass is.
Finally, I spritz some water from the ensuite into my face and gargle what I hope is a mouthwash. It tastes alcoholic enough that it might literally just be bathroom vodka.
You know, a normal thing in Nye Verden.
I glance down at the bottle, turning it in the half light from the bedroom.
“Oh, that’s definitely just grain alcohol.”
“Hiraeth?” Cass’ voice calls down the hall, holding all the intonations of an empress.
“Coming,” I call back and make my way from the bedroom.
I turn into the foyer to find Azazel staring at me with a definitive “you owe me more answers” look.
“Do you ever take that off?” I ask, and Azazel grunts in annoyance.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, turning to Cass who radiates murderous intent.
Her jaw ticks as she finally looks away from Azazel, locking eyes with me.
“The Seers have given us another line of the Prophecy.”
“So that shit bag wasn’t fucking with me?” I scoff.
“Who might this be?” Cass asks, tone unreasonably icy, if I do say so myself.
“Loki,” I say, meeting her stare with one of my own.
“What did he say?” she asks.
I glance at Azazel.
