[center][h1]The Miserable Loves Company [/h1] [h2][b]Characters:[/b] Olivia & Mary & Lazarus [b]Location:[/b] Academy [b]Time:[/b] Midday [/h2] Contributors:[@Rtron], [@Themerlinhawk], and [@Fallenreaper][/center] Olivia had managed to excuse herself from Professor Saerne and Aluvia, her body clipping quickly down the hallway and fighting every step not to just break out into a full out run. Most of all what she wanted to do was to scream all her pain, misery and sorrow for the world to hear... but she couldn't. She made a promise and despite her frustration, she had little choice other than to trust Zi, a woman she had only sparsely met through Emmet. It was the hardest thing she had every had to swallow before. Her shoes clipped harder, seeming to believe she could make her getaway faster, while she booked it to the only place she knew could help her to escape these dark feelings: the library. It had always been her comfort zone since her youth as Darius made sure her room was filled with various reading material, from the ancient tales of Moby Dick, A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, and more to the more modern fiction and facts of the age. It was the first place that came to mind when she started to walk and let her feet lead the way. Her hand reached up to wipe away the salty tears stinging her vision and making it blurry, further increasing her redness. Only able to partly see, she nearly collided into another person, a woman, causing Olivia's attention jerk to the present. Side tracked from her destination, she managed to clear her vision enough to study the woman before her. She looked like a student or possibly a teacher aid, at least she was too young to be a teacher in Olivia's mind, while she blurted out her miserable apology. “I-I’m s-sorry. I didn’t mean… I… My name’s Olivia Matthews.” It ended in a tragic way, her mind painfully aware of the fact when her voice trailed off softly. Mary was heading back to the library. It was one of the few places she felt a little less lost and confused in this new world. In her customary black long sleeved shirt and blue jeans, she headed towards one of the last familiar places. Lost in her own thoughts, she didn’t notice the other person in the hallway until they had nearly rammed into by a small girl. Stopping suddenly, she looked down at the red eyed child, whispering her name and felt sorry for her. Something was clearly wrong, and this was something she could perhaps help with. Smiling in a friendly manner, Mary knelt down to Olivia’s eye level. “Don’t worry about it, Olivia. I’m Mary” She took in the hastily wiped away remnants of tears, and then wiped the rest away with her sleeve. “Now, why don’t we go into the library, away from prying eyes, and you tell me what’s wrong.” Despite Olivia's thoughts being fixed on Emmet, her head tilted at hearing Mary's name. Her eyes blinked a bit when the woman wiped away her tears, helping a bit in clearing her sight until the image came into focus. She forced herself to smile some though her mood didn't full fill the energy behind it. “A bad day really and now I learned my brother's missing. Even worse, I can't do anything to help him because I promised to stay put.” “I’m so sorry to hear that.” Mary said earnestly, remembering how she felt before she found out both her parents were dead. In a way, the not knowing was even more terrible than the actual finding out that Henry and James had killed her parents. She thought for a moment. “Have you tried asking Hazumi for help? The headmistress of this college. From what I’ve heard, she’s ‘the Essence of the World’ something extremely powerful, I guess.” Mary shrugged. “I haven’t been in this world long enough to know what that means. Or at least, what the title means in comparison to everything else. But, from what I’ve heard, she cares about her students. Asking her to help might just get your brother back in no átime. Now, rather than focus on your problems, let’s see if we can find something to take your mind off of it. It’s why I came here myself.” Mary stood and gestured towards the library a few feet away. “Unless, of course, you’d rather we find Hazumi right away?” “I’m only a temporary student here, at least until or if Uncle Darius registers me. Though I’m not sure I really belong here as I don't have any magical abilities,” Olivia uttered the words through her teeth while she slowly realized how easily lying came to her lips. It took great strength not to flinch, her face easily clouded over the reaction, while she listened to the woman. She couldn't help but wonder if this was very woman who was targeted by this ‘Sir’, the one who unknowingly ruining her very life and tossed it into chaos. Olivia’s heart squeezed in on itself at the venomous thoughts. She barely stop herself from wrapping her arms about her torso while she pushed at her hatred, driving it down, before she spoke again. “I don't know. I've already contacted a friend of my brother, someone named Zi, to find him. She just told me to be careful and stay put. After what happened... I'm not sure about a lot of things anymore. Right now I just need something normal to keep me from going insane and books always helped me forget.” Her feet naturally edged toward the library's entrance as she added, her head turned to the student's direction. “What's it like here? I've never been to a place which teaches magic, though I thought it might've looked much. It seems similar to my old school save for the boys because my last school was an all girls’ one.” Mary nodded. “Well, if you don’t have any magical abilities, they’ll give you an instrument on admission. That will give you magical abilities. I don’t have any natural magic, but my Instrument,” Mary turned her ring back into a string of light, intertwining it through her fingers, “Gives me the abilities. As long as you have no problems with other voices in your head, as each Instrument has its own soul, you should adapt quickly. Unless they’re particularly annoying, like mine can be.” Mary smiled a bit at the immediate protestations by Mercy and Vengeance, turning her string into a ring once more. She took the lead towards the library. “Honestly, from what I can tell, it’s no different from the school I’m used to. You go to class, you hope the Professor goes easy on you, and you learn to the best of your ability. Switch Veterinarian classes with magic and combat classes, and that’s the only difference. For me at least. “ Mary gestured towards the interior of the library as they stepped in. “I really don’t see the appeal in magic really so I don’t think so. My life is bad enough without driving myself insane after all.” Olivia admitted, earnestly, her eyes noting the ring on Mary’s finger twitch into a string and back again while the woman spoke. Her vision settled on it with an apprehensive expression for a few seconds then swallowed it down. Upon stepping into the library, her brown eyes flickered across the vast arrangement and seemed to smile on seeing vast rows on rows of old fashion book spines, a rarity with everything going to downloads, though unlike other girls she had perks. Darius had bought her a old fashion paperback every year since her tenth birthday. Her memories dimmed when she noticed something. “Where’s the librarian?” Olivia asked curiously, casting her head about to search for what was missing. “As far as I can tell, no librarians are here. The books are all organized and everything is clean whenever I leave and come back, so I can only assume it’s magic. Haven’t yet caught the magic at work. Books are a great distraction, I agree.” She smiled sadly. “My father taught me my love of reading. Granted he only read gun books and how to operate them. I just expanded by interests.” Shaking off the grief that was always waiting on the edge of her consciousness, Mary clapped her hands together. It made Olivia smile a bit to find a common interest with someone, especially a place she was bound to be stuck inside for at least a day or two, worse more if Sir wasn’t imprisoned soon for his attempted kidnapping. She hated to think he would’ve tried again...Olivia felt sick just thinking of it. Mary’s mentioning book titles gave her a reason to push the ill thought aside, her twirling head paused for the moment to listen closer. “So! Where shall we begin? Centuries old classics like ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, more recent ones like ‘Divergent’, or something in this world that I’ve never heard of?” She spread her arms wide and slightly up, the sleeve falling back to reveal not only an old, barely holding together, bracelet with what appeared to be a small bullet on it, but some of the scars from Sir’s experiments. Olivia stood very, very still when her sight fixed on Mary’s arm. All color drained from her face, leaving it pale and white, while she found herself locked in place. Those scars… she had seen some like them before. Her mind filled by pain and her body trembling, feeling her anxiety build in her core where it pushed at her steadiness like a flood against a weak dam. In that moment Olivia felt she was the biggest damn fool within the world. There was too many disturbing things in common with this woman and Sir’s Mary that was impossible to ignore, hateful for her blindness. She would’ve noticed it earlier if she had paid attention. Again, she put on her fake smile and stepped to the nearest book shelf to graze a few fingers over the spines. “I like fantasy and sci-fi genres. Also historic novels as well. Like ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ though it wasn’t accurate to history which made it a bit hard to fully get into. I’ve read ‘Huckleberry Finn’ and ‘Oliver Twist’.” Olivia idly plucked off a single, old novel from the shelf while she skimmed the label: [i]The Clocktower - By Gabriel Ronson.[/i] It seemed interesting enough as she took it into her arm, mainly to read when she felt ready. “Where did that bracelet come from? It’s rather interesting as I’ve never seen girls flashing ammo.” “I can' see why it would have no appeal. Magic, to me right now at least, is more of a pain than it is a useful tool.” Mary replied, as Olivia gazed about the library. Mary smiled as Olivia listed off her genre’s missing the intense stare fixed on her bracelet, and the sudden paleness seeing her scars had given Olivia. While the girl searched for a book, Mary herself browsed the shelves. “I used to read fantasy all the time. Now it seems like I’m living in the books I used to read. So I tend towards the more relatively normal ones, well, old world normal at least. Still, there is much to go for a good fantasy book.” Before she could continue, Olivia asked Mary a question. “Oh, this old thing?” She held it up for better inspection, shaking her wrist gently and making the worn chain and bullet clink lightly. Olivia, on hearing Mary’s comment on living in a book, scoffed inside at the words. Though it wasn’t directed at the woman’s view life but rather the bitterness she was sharing the same fate, her own life turning into a mystery and horror rolled into one. Not if only she could skip this chapter in the novel instead then she could get on with her life. Her body had pushed in beside to Mary while the bracelet was held out, giving her better view of it then before. It didn’t look like anything special at first though, her eyes following the bobbing trinket for a moment and nodded her answer. Mary seemed to have taken that as a signal to continue. “I got it from my father, after I killed my first deer. He was majorly into guns and insisted I know how to use one.” Mary mock frowned and imitated her father’s gruff voice. “‘Every girl should know how to defend herself. And since I can’t afford to have you taught all those fancy kung fu moves, firing bullets into your assailant until they stop moving will have to do.’ The .22 round, he claims, is from the gun I fired. The only one I didn’t fire, missing most of the time, he also claims. Despite the fact I only fired once and we both know it. A reminder he said, that I should always have one in the chamber. Just in case.” Olivia smirked at how overprotective her brother and Darius had been, knowing fully well they would’ve never her near a gun, let alone, learn how to work one. Sadly they didn’t have to because all she would’ve had to do was touch a targeting range tool and she would’ve learned too rapidly for her own liking. She shuddered, quickly realizing how easily it would’ve attracted Mary’s attention only to become relieved. It seemed her action didn’t attract Mary’s attention, the older student lost in her own world and still went on about her life. Mary smiled at the memory, sighing a little sadly at the thought of happier times. Times before her world went up in flames. “Most girls where I came from didn’t flash ammo either. But I didn’t care. It was a gift from my father. What girl says no to that?” She spotted Olivia’s book, tucked under her arm. “Find all you’re looking for, or do you plan on more than one?” “I can relate to that feeling though I never got the chance to experience it much. Both my parents were killed when I was young and I can’t remember it fully. I do know father’s death had brought Darius to our small apartment, breaking the news to all three of us, my mother, Emmet my step brother, and me. I was only four. A misunderstanding happened and one of the demons went to reach for me, something Darius didn’t agree with. Before he could order a counter command, my mother got in the way and he reacted violently. My brother over reacted and held a blade at Darius’ throat, which he waved for his other men to take me away. He didn’t want to scare me anymore then I already was or risk involving me in a fight. I was crying and bawling in the car before his men got me to settle down. Lineage, a vampire, had me sitting in her lap during the whole ride.” Mary paused, deciding to choose her words carefully. To her, this Darius sounded more like a murderer than a protector. But it wouldn’t do any good to upset Olivia any further. “I’m sorry to hear about your parent’s deaths. It’s hard. I know.” Mary changed the subject before Olivia could press her own questions. “So Darius and Lineage raised you? That must have been interesting, to say the least.” She was curious as to where Olivia’s brother was in all this, but realized that asking about her brother was a bad way to go. “I take it Darius was the one who got you into reading, or was that Lineage?” Mary shifted her sleeve down once more, covering both the bracelet and the scars. “No, actually Darius tried to raise me alone but… well, he admitted he didn’t know the first thing about raising a girl. The demon he said that killed my mother was dealt with and released from his service.” Olivia said, assuming the demon had been fired. However, deep inside, she had a distinct, unpleasant feeling the truth was far from it. She hoped it wasn’t as she thought highly of her Uncle. “He brought in Ris, better known as Aeris Kasio, to help. She’s a lot like a sister and mother all rolled up into one to me. Lineage was Darius’ second to help him run his business in Kenan and help keep order, mainly because he knows if he doesn’t… people will get hurt. Namely those he loves the most. It’s why he’s my guardian instead of EZ since the bad guys would use me to hurt both him and my brother. And I think part of him wanted to make up for the mistake that took my mother’s life.” Lazarus rounded the corner of one of the bookshelves staring down at a copy of an archeological text. Catching the end of the conversation he looked up and took in the two girls and smiled. Mary, it had been a day or two since they’d had a chance to talk. “Hello there Mary, how have you been holding up? I’m so sorry I haven’t seen you today. Did the roomate work out?” He eyed Olivia with curiosity. He didn’t recognize her and he hadn’t seen a name on the student lists that correlated to her face. “And who is your friend?” He let the last question hang scrutinizing the girl before pulling his essence sight over his eyes and checking her over in curiosity. No instrument. Curious. Mary was saved from having to respond to Olivia’s explanation of how she was raised by Lazarus’s sudden arrival. Mary immediately smiled at the mage who had taken her in. “It is fine Lazarus. I’m here now. You don’t have to watch over me like a mother hen. The roommate was....interesting, but I like her. As for how I’m holding up, so far so good. The...[i]Abyss[/i],” she pronounced the name with as much hatred and disgust she could put into one word, “has been mostly keeping to himself. He hasn’t even irritated the spirits in my instrument, which is progress.” [i]You actually said my name. This[i] is [/i] progress![/i] The Abyss quipped, causing Mary to frown, before brightening again. “This is Olivia Matthews she’s here under the protection of Aeris Kasio, I presume, while her brother is found.” Mary looked to Olivia. “Oh! Olivia, this is Lazarus. He’s, from what I can gather, a rather brilliant history teacher and mage, if slightly insane.” The last three words were said teasingly, before she looked curiously at him. “But what are you doing here? As far as I knew, this was one of the lesser known libraries in the College. Olivia had just finished her reply when a man appeared from almost nowhere. Immediately she jumped, the energy rippled through her body and traveled upward as she jerked her head to the side, her eyes locking with him. He was in his late twenties, with a short, curly cut and taller than either of them. Those were the clear and immediate features Olivia had noticed, but when she met his eyes she felt like they passed right through her. At first it was unsettling at how he studied her, making her aware how a bug under glass might’ve felt like. She inhaled softly while he addressed Mary, apologizing for his absence then inquired about a roommate, trying to sooth over her discomfort. After all, the man hadn’t done anything to her and while she was in the Academy, she doubted he would have. At being introduced, Olivia’s hand rose to shake Lazarus’ as she was taught by Darius to be polite. The name Abyss hissed over and over in her mind back, her mind calling up the memory to the surface, while she immediately slammed it down. It made her heart sink at learning more about this woman and knowing, without a doubt, this Mary was the very one her kidnapper had wanted. “Nice to meet you, Lazarus.” She said timidly. “Good I’m glad you’re settling in.” He smiled at his ward “And I’m glad to hear that IT is leaving you alone more or less. Let me know if it ever gets to be too much again and I’ll see what I can do.” He squeezed her shoulder lovingly before turning his attention back to Olivia. Lazarus took Olivia’s hand and shook it while smiling. “That is a lovely name you have Olivia. I’m sorry to hear about your brother. Is there anything I can do to help?” He held off on answering Mary’s question for a moment about what exactly he was doing in this particular library. The girl had a talent. He’d seen the ripple, but he wasn’t sure what exactly it was. “I am quite good at finding lost and missing things.” He smiled softly before he gave Mary her answer by handing her the book he was holding “Demonic Archeology. A little more off the beaten track than usual. Then again Mistress Kasio is teaching a comprehensive class on the Western Realms.” Lazarus kept his attention on Olivia looking for a reaction. Olivia's eyes turned to Mary, noting the man give the woman a gentle squeeze on her shoulder, her face a bit confused by the words. It wasn't that she didn't understand English, but way they were talking about the Abyss. She could hear the venom and spite in each reference, like it was something living. Vaguely she could easily remember how Sir's tone seemed to indicate the very same thing now that she studied the memory absent the fear. Mentally, her mind shudder at the thought, and she pushed it aside when Lazarus made the same offer to help. “Thank you. Darius thought it was better I took his last name, but I rather keep my parents’. As for my brother....” Olivia bit her lip, wondering if it was right of her to enlist more help when Zi asked for her trust. When she felt him release, she let her hand fall back to her side before she replied. “I could give you Emmet's emergency number, if you think you could help Zi. And I didn't know Aeris know something over one of the Regions of Hell.” Though Darius had kept her isolated from much interaction with demons and angels, it didn't mean she was completely ignorant about the world as she tried to recall what information she had locked away about it. Sadly that wasn't much. Lazarus gave her a smile. “If you have other people on the hunt I hardly need to intrude. How long has he been missing out of curiosity?” Timing was everything. If the man had only been missing the last 48 hours then he could find him. Something longer….that was more than a bit harder but still doable. Why did the name Darius sound familiar. Lazarus turned the name over in his mind as he studied Olivia. This young woman was certainly interesting. Largely because she was a mystery, and mysteries needed unraveling when they landed in his lap. Olivia quieted, her mind turned inward to recall the details of Zi’s and her conversation. It wasn’t easy since her high emotion, panic, and more had clouded her recollection. “I talked with him yesterday evening but I don’t know for sure when he vanished. It would be easy to find out.” She managed not to choke on the last words spoken, knowing how truthful those words were. For her magic it wasn’t hard to get a full play out on the whole scene of her brother’s circumstances. Merely she just needed to touch something Emmet wore that day or from where he was taken and then she would’ve had gotten everything needed to find him. However, it was easier said than done really. Mostly because she lacked key facts like where he was taken and that was the most important detail to help her learn the truth. Her fingers tightened into a small, kneading fist that seemed to clench in on itself to ease her worry. “I now wished I had asked for more details but I wasn’t really having a good day. Someone came to my school and attempted to snatch me. Ended up killing my Uncle’s protection detail and Mr. Findl-” Her throat constricted on the name, again. It was like bitterness filling her throat back and preparing to launch halfway across the room, a fact she wasn’t happy with. Instinctively her arms began to fold and rub the upper part, trying to chase away the guilt. “Because I didn’t come quietly, the groundskeeper died.” Mary, for the most part, stayed out of the conversation between Olivia and Lazarus. She had no idea what either of them were talking about and aside from a smile acknowledging Lazarus's offer, she could only watch, disinterestedly reading some bits and pieces of the book Lazarus had handed to her. However, when Olivia spoke of her attempted snatching, Mary put the book down. At the guilt and bitterness in her voice, Mary's face softened with empathy. She knew what it was like, to blame yourself for other's deaths. Without a word she crouched down and hugged Olivia. "It's not your fault. You can't think like that. You are not to blame for [i]anyone's[/i] death. Only the monster who tried to steal you is to blame." Lazarus nodded “Well. I can find him.” He dropped the phrase calmly like a sword severing a limb. It was swift and deadly. Parting the air. “If the trail is only a day old I can still track him. I just need to know someplace he’s been within the last two days.” He stood calmly before her before he finally smiled at Mary. “My ward is correct. It is not your fault.” With warmth he put his hand on Mary’s shoulder again for a moment. The gesture was full of the protection and care he felt for Mary. “Should you wish my help I would gladly find your brother for you.” He clasped his hands behind his back calmly. Olivia felt Mary’s arms wrap about her shoulder, her body tensed then relaxed into the hug. She leaned into it as she did with Aeris, though part of her was wary and cautious since it was a complete stranger hugging her. Overlooking that fact, the girl was surprised to discover it was what she usually needed. She didn’t push or shove Mary away, ignoring the fact it was the woman’s fault in some ill twisted fated way, her eyes looking at Lazarus’ offer with hope. Gingerly she nodded and spoke, quietly. “Thank you. If you have something, I can write his number down for you. Then you can call Zi. I don’t have my cellphone on me currently else I would’ve handed it to you. I don’t want to trouble anyone but Emmet’s all I got and Uncle Darius isn’t likely to worry too much as he thinks my brother can handle himself. It also doesn’t help Darius has a lot of responsibly on his shoulders helping to run Kenan.” Lazarus nodded and smiled as Mary hugged Olivia. “I just need to know where he was within the last 48 hours. And I can find him” Lazarus put his hands in his pockets and sighed. Another errand another lost soul, another piece of a never ending puzzle. A pattern that had stretched on since time immemorial. He turned the names over in his head as she spoke them. Darius, Emmet, Olivia, Kenan. So many moving pieces. So many things to scrutinize. “I don’t know, though Zi said she was with him last night before he got the call about him. I assume it was his apartment and he knew he was going to pick me up, so it’s logical he would’ve gotten sleep before he did. Or least returned there within the last two days. No one’s telling me much save for the minor things. Zi’s looking in the hospitals and everywhere else. I just hate waiting and wondering… especially if something happens to him.” She felt her heart tighten at the thought, thinking how pissed Zi was likely to be at her and shoved it away. After all, wasn’t Emmet more important? Her eyes looked down as she leaned harder into Mary, considering one last thing. “I could ask Aeris if we could call Uncle Darius to see if he was the one that called EZ.” Mary continued to hold Olivia, gently stroking her hair. She listened to Lazarus talk about how he could find Olivia's brother, smiling slightly. If Hazumi couldn't be found to help, Lazarus certainly could. It almost surprised Mary how much faith she put in her protector, given the short time they knew each other. She considered something for a moment. [i]Wouldn't it be better to know what he's goin into?[/i] Mary pulled back enough to look into Olivia's face. "Olivia?" Mary began gently. "Do you know who tried to kidnap you? A name or a description that Lazarus might recognize? He's been around quite a while." Olivia couldn’t stop her face from draining of all color when Mary’s words spilled out. It tossed and rolled in her red head as her eyes widened, vomit rushing into her throat. A disgusting, spoil carrot taste rose into her mouth causing her choke and cough suddenly. Her body rattled with each hack, her hand pressed against her sealed lips trying to prevent from throwing up on Mary’s clothes. With watering eyes, her vision blurred when her knees crumbled underneath her immediately. She took several moments to stop the foul stuff dead in its tracks before she swallowed it down, nearly feeling it push back, when she shook her head hard and repeatedly. “I.. I don’t.” Olivia lied instinctively, trying to stop her shaking, her reaction clearly over the top. “This shouldn’t be happening at all! Why? Why does it have to happen? Mary didn't need both Mercy and Vengeance to tell her Olivia was lying and trying to avoid the question. They did so anyway. [i]Why would she lie? Who is she protecting?[/i] Mary woundered, watching as Olivia shook and stayed pale. The older woman looked at the young girl in concern for a few moments before speaking. "Olivia. You don't have to lie, we just want to help. Who tried to kidnap you? Can you describe them?" “I don’t want to think about it... I don’t want someone else to die because of me.” Olivia said, her voice shaking. Her hands pulled closer to her mouth and her body felt like it was about to curl into a ball, her mind conflicting against what was right and what she wanted most. To make this nightmare end and go back to her normal, boring life. Most would’ve found it easy to just blame the woman beside her, curse her out and utter everything but she couldn’t bring herself to. One thing Darius had done was raise her right, a matter that made telling her everything more difficult. She wiped her eyes and nose on her hand back, clearing it away to breath better. Her lips forced herself to smile, that same fake one she had mastered, then added with some regret. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked… I just… I just want my brother safe.” [i]She's still lying. Press. It's a matter of safety for Lazarus. You can apologize later.[/i] Mercy advised. [i]Besides. She's lying to us. She doesn't deserve a respite.[/i] Vengeance added. Mary couldn't shake the image of him sharpening a blade while he spoke. Still, they were both right. Lazarus couldn't go into this blind. "Olivia, I'm sorry if this upsets you. But we need to know. The more Lazarus knows, the easier he can prepare and find your brother. Please? If not for our sake, for your brother's?" Mary hated using Olivia's brother against her like this, but it was necessary. “No. I can’t and I don’t know.” Olivia’s voice resist, her body pulling away. Her foot took a step, slowly, away from the woman while she looked at Lazarus. “I’m sorry bothered you, both. I don’t even know if the two things are connected and…” [i]I should’ve just trusted Zi…[/i] Olivia’s mind whispered at her. The tone was accusing and spiteful, hating her own weakness and stupidity for not keeping her mind focus. She was already edging into retreat mode which meant one least nudge and the girl was going to run away like a scared rabbit. “Mary. Enough.” He placed his hand on his ward’s shoulder gently. He took Olivia’s hands “It’s okay. I want you to stop thinking about the kidnapping okay? He ran essence through her hands, it was warmth and protection. Lazarus seemed to take up the whole room filling Mary’s vision. “Don’t think about it anymore, you’re safe now and your brother is going to be just fine.” While everything he said was true, his intentions were twofold as always. Telling someone not to think about something was a sure fire way to get them to initially think about it. He was waiting, he didn’t need her to say a word, he just needed her to think about it for a moment and he’d know everything he needed to know about the kidnapper. “You’re safe here. I’m sure Zi is fine and will find Emmet. Don’t worry. Come on, I don’t know about you but I think it’s time for some food or at least some fresh air.” He gave Mary a meaningful look and gently brushed his consciousness against hers like he’d done in Finch’s Loft [i]I’ll be fine, she’s been traumatized and needs comfort right now. Thank you for looking out for me[i] he favored her with a rare smile. [i]I just hope Sir hasn’t taken my brother like he tried with me. I can’t tell Mary, it’s not her fault he wants her and I can’t explain how I know. I should’ve been more careful when grabbed her necklace. Why did I panic like an idiot? [/i] Olivia nodded, her hands shaking and body feeling on the verge of crumbling. The only reason it was still standing was because Lazarus’ warmth filled her, causing her to relax, while she let words settle her rattled nerves. “I’m sure if I can eat but could we pick up Aeris on the way? Please?” “Of course.” He offered Olivia his arm, he legs still looked shaky. With that he lead her from the library.