Page 44 of When Kings Fall

Oh, well.

“I couldn’t have gloves on with what I was doing and checking out here. I needed the full dexterity.”

“You’re done now, though?”

“Yeah. Let’s head inside.”

As I went to do that, she eased her hands from mine and pressed her palm to my chest. “Just a moment.”

I was looking on curiously then as she unzipped her jacket and reached into the inside pocket and pulled something out.

I started at the sight of something very familiar coming into view.

The gold leaf of the book gave itself away.

My artist journal.

“I want to talk about this first.”

“How did you come to have this?” I asked, reaching for it.

She relinquished it and explained, “I was looking through some of the bags that you packed up here containing components and what-not for a device that Levi needed to soup-up the internet connection, and I came across this. I didn’t know what it was until I opened it, thinking it was some coding or program notes he might need.”

“I must’ve packed it in the wrong bag instead of with my clothes, because I’d been in such a rush.”

“I’m kind of glad you did, otherwise I never would have seen what an incredible artist you actually are. These designs are inspired.” She whistled. “You’re majorly talented, Mason.”

I rolled my shoulders. “Was.”

“No. Are. Some of these are recent. You date stamp all the images. And I saw an exact replica of my watercolor butterfly tattoo, along with a bunch of others based off of that idea.”

“Every now and then I still get the urge to sketch a little.”

“Because it’s a part of you.”

I shook my head. “It can’t be.”

“I disagree.”

I sighed. “While I appreciate your support, my dark angel, it’s just not possible to return to any of it. These sketches are just part of a past that can never become a future.”

“You revived Hex with the intent to change that. Like you told me, to obtain something compromising on him so you’d finally have leverage to make the existence of that taped evidence he holds over your head meaningless.”

“And now with what we’re doing here, I’ll need something else even on top of that. It’ll just be an endless cycle every time I act the way I want to and outside of his plans for me.” I shook my head. “It was a futile idea. At least I get to do this with the three of you. Something out there, danger and a twisted thrill involved. As soon as he gets wind of it, though, he’ll force me out, force me to withdraw my assistance. But I can at least revel in it for now.”

“No,” she ground out. “It’s not going to be like that. I can help you, if you let me.”

I cocked an eyebrow.

“With Vixen,” she told me. Off my look, she said, “Come inside, let’s talk.”

“Just over a dozen?” I asked, incredulous.

Levi looked up from his military-grade laptop. “Fourteen.”

“Impressive that you were able to determine that,” Bree told him.

He winked at her, then returned his attention to his hacking endeavor, while telling me, “Let her help you.”

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