Cole shifts in his seat and turns around to face us, a secretive smile tugging at his lips. His gaze flits between Lukas and me, lingering for just a moment too long to feel comfortable. There’s something about him that’s impossible to pin down. He looks like he could be around my age, but there’s an odd quality to his smile, something timeless that makes me wonder if he’s much, much older. Magic does weird things to people sometimes, so I’ve learned not to trust appearances, but Cole is on another level entirely. Without a word, he pulls a small card from his pocket and hands it to Lukas, who takes it hesitantly. Lukas looks down at it briefly before tucking it into his jacket pocket with an awkward nod.
“Call me if you need another ride.” Cole says smoothly.
“Or if you find the necromancer.” He adds it as if it’s an afterthought, but he seems entirely too invested for that to be true. Lukas raises an eyebrow, doubt plain on his face, but Cole doesn’t seem to care. He’s smiling again, like he knows something we don’t, and the calm confidence in his expression is completely unnerving. Lukas doesn’t reply, instead focusing on lifting me out of the car. I try to protest, but I’m too tired to do more than mumble. He scoops me up with ease, cradling me against his chest like I weigh nothing. I decide not to fight it. He’s obviously not letting me walk on my own anytime soon and I’m not sure I actually can or want to right now anyway.
“Thank you.” I manage to mumble to Cole, forcing the words out. He may be strange, very strange, but he did save us, and I’m not ungrateful.
“Anytime, sweetheart.” He replies, his voice tinged with amusement. I let my eyes close for just a moment, too tired to keep them open, but when I open them again, the taxi is gone. No sound of an engine, nothing, no trace that it was ever here. Just an empty street. It’s weird because it’s only like… Lunch time. It’s so strange that all that happened in only an hour or so. It feels like I’ve been awake for days. But nope, the sun is still high in the sky. All this cloak and dagger stuff feels so… Wrong in the daylight. But I suppose that bad things can still happen, even on a day as nice as this one.
Lukas carries me to my door, and before we’re even inside, I hear the telltale scratching and high pitched whining of Roxy from the other side. Poor thing must have been so worried. She is very attached to him. Lukas shifts me slightly, adjusting my weight in his arms, and pulls my keys from his pocket with a dexterity that would be impressive under any other circumstances. Right. He still had them from earlier, back when he was going to drive my car… Before it blew up. The thought of my car makes my chest tighten, and I let out a long, defeated sigh. Then it hits me, my laptop was in there. I groan, feeling another wave of exhaustion hit me, this time from pure frustration. Why did it have to be my laptop?
“I’ll get you a new one.” Lukas says softly, his voice steady and reassuring. As he unlocks the door and pushes it open, Roxy barrels into him almost instantly, her big paws thudding against his legs as she jumps up in excitement. Her size makes the impact bump both of us, and I let out a small yelp as Lukas stumbles a little.
“I know, sweetie, I’m okay.” Lukas murmurs, crouching slightly to calm her down while still holding onto me.
“Let me put Clare down first, alright?” I expect him to set me down on the couch, I mean it’s closer. But instead, he strides through the living room and straight into my bedroom. Where he gently lowers me onto my bed as if I’m something fragile. I kind of feel fragile right now actually. The mattress feels like heaven beneath me, but I barely have a moment to process it before Princess comes charging into the room with a determined meow. She leaps onto the bed and starts circling, her tail swishing impatiently. Lukas chuckles, reaching out to scratch behind her ears.
“Your girl needs you, Princess.” He says softly. Then, to my surprise, he scoops her up and places her directly onto my chest. Princess wastes no time. She curls up immediately, her motor like purring filling the room. Roxy, not wanting to be left out, lets out a soft whine.
“You can help take care of her too, good girl.” Lukas says, his tone warm and soothing. He pats the bed next to me, and Roxy hops up eagerly, pressing her warm body against my side. Between her weight and Princess’s gentle warmth on my chest, I feel completely smothered in a bubble of comfort I didn’t realise I desperately needed.
“Get some rest, Clare.” Lukas says gently, his hand briefly brushing my hair back.
“We’ll talk when you wake up.” He promises. I stubbornly want to argue. I just blasted half his family to hell. He was literally tied up in their basement. The problem is, I can barely keep my eyes open. Lukas moves efficiently, tugging my shoes off and draping the blanket over me. Then, with a final glance, he turns and pulls the curtains closed, leaving the room seeming extra dark after the sudden change from the bright daylight. My body feels impossibly heavy, the warmth of the two animals and the sound of their soft breaths force me to relax. My incredibly long morning is over, there are no immediate threats looming and no urgent decisions to make. Lukas and I are both safe. The exhaustion takes over, and I have no chance of resisting it as I fall straight to sleep.
When I wake up, it’s dark, and for a moment, I’m completely disoriented. Something warm and heavy is draped across my chest and legs, half-crushing me. It takes me a second to realise it’s Roxy and Princess pinning me down like furry weighted blankets. Normally, I wouldn’t mind, but nature calls. I groan softly, carefully sliding Princess off my chest. She makes an annoyed half meow, half grumble sound, glaring at me with pure feline indignation as if I’ve committed the ultimate betrayal. I also feel like she’s silently judging me for trying to get out of bed. Roxy stirs slightly but doesn’t budge. I shuffle upright, immediately regretting it as a wave of dizziness washes over me. I steady myself, moving slower as I get to my feet. My legs feel shaky, like they’ve been replaced with jelly, and my muscles ache in that post workout way that makes me regret every life choice that led me here. Actually, scratch that, it feels like I’ve done a workout I wasn’t remotely prepared for. Two days ago. And now I’m paying the price. I make my way to the bathroom, leaning against the walls for balance. After finishing, I briefly consider hunting Lukas down to see what he’s up to. But the moment my eyes catch the sight of my bed, I know there’s no way I’m staying upright much longer. I stumble back and practically fall face first into my pillows. Roxy, ever the loyal protector, licks my ankle as if to check on me. Then, with a soft huff, she hops off the bed. A few seconds later, I hear footsteps, followed by the feeling of my mattress dipping as someone sits down beside me.
“How are you feeling?” Lukas’s voice is soft.
“Tired.” I mumble, rolling onto my back so I can see him. He’s sitting close, his posture relaxed but his expression is filled with concern. I notice how exhausted he looks, his shoulders slightly slumped and faint shadows under his eyes. His day has been every bit as difficult as mine. What time is it anyway?
“I don’t think my mother has ever particularly cared about me.” Lukas blurts suddenly, his voice carrying a mix of bitterness and vulnerability. The words come out in a rush, like he’s been holding them in for too long.
“As soon as she realised I could read minds, she started thinking of ways she could use me. I did a lot of horrible things as a kid. I was constantly prying where I don’t belong, all for my mothers approval and affection. When I got older i started refusing to do everything she said… She lost interest in me entirely.” He admits sadly. I blink up at him, stunned. He’s staring at the wall now, refusing to meet my gaze, his jaw tight. He looks so uncomfortable, and I’m not entirely sure what to say.
“Why are you telling me this?” I manage to ask, my voice coming out quieter than I intended. Lukas exhales slowly, his shoulders relaxing just a little.
“Two reasons.” He begins, his tone steady but soft.
“I… Heard you thinking about things you weren’t comfortable sharing with me earlier. I can’t unhear it, and truthfully? Unless I avoid you entirely, it’s likely to happen again. It’s not something I have a lot of control over.” He points out. I stiffen slightly, embarrassed, but Lukas doesn’t give me the chance to spiral.
“So, I’m evening the score, so to speak. Telling you something I don’t normally share with others. Something personal.” His voice falters slightly before picking back up.
“I also just… Felt like I owed you an explanation for my mother. Mostly, I want to make it clear… I won’t tell anyone your secrets. And if you ever want to talk about disappointing your parents I’m right there with you.” He adds. He says that last part like it’s a joke, but I don’t think he actually thinks it’s funny.