Page 21 of Behind the Mask

The mist distorted voices, but Kasumi could follow it anyway.Setting the chest down, he quickly made his way toward the stairs—a hand darted from the mist and snatched him close, and Kasumi swore softly as he collided with Luther.

"Took you long enough," he said tartly."Unhand me."

Luther grinned."No.Dispel this stuff.It's a nuisance now."

"Give me my mask," Kasumi said."Else it will have to disperse in its own time."

Rolling his eyes and muttering about magic, Luther brandished the mask in question."You're going to put this on and I'll never see you again, isn't that right?"

Kasumi frowned, acutely aware suddenly of the hand still firmly holding his, and how close they still stood."Unhand me right this instant."

"That would be a yes," Luther said with a sigh.He let go and reached up to cup Kasumi's face.Perhaps he had simply grown used to the bastard and the liberties he took, but he found he could not summon the fury he had felt when Jun touched him.Instead the soft way Luther's thumb brushed across his lips left him reeling.

Before he could figure out a reply, his mask was thrust into his hands.It thrummed beneath his fingers, pleased to be back in the grasp of its owner.Kasumi let out a breath it seemed he had been holding ever since the mask was first taken from him.

He was whole again.

Lifting the mask, he put it back over his face.Magic thrummed as it settled, rushing through his blood, rejoining with its owner.

Luther sighed softly, and Kasumi almost thought it a sad sound.He shoved the errant thought away and focused, raising his arms and spreading his fingers wide, summoning up the magic that lay within his mask.

Around them the mist shimmered—then vanished.

"Do you still not believe in magic?"he asked, briefly startled to hear his voice muffled again.

Luther looked at him."I guess I have no choice.Certainly it's not the only thing in this journey that has challenged everything I thought I believed."

Kasumi frowned at the cryptic statement, but before he could demand an explanation Luther had turned away.

"Come," Luther said."I've got Jun bound, the rest of his men are dead or unconscious.My men will be loading the last of the silver now, and then we can sail."

Nodding, Kasumi returned to Minoru's side and hefted the chest."Come, Master."

Minoru nodded and slowly followed along, clearly stiff from his long confinement and maltreatment.

Slung over Luther's shoulder was an unconscious Jun.Kasumi smirked behind his mask.

"Now, now," Luther teased."I can see you are plotting dastardly things for this bastard.Keep your knives sheathed, my pretty shadow.He's going to the authorities, remember?"

Kasumi rolled his eyes and did not reply, refusing to rise to the bait—and more than a little disconcerted that even with his mask firmly back in place, this man could so easily read him."If you do not behave, I will turnyouover to the authorities."

"I thought you'd do that anyway," Luther said with a wink.

Except Kasumi could see the uncertainty in his eyes.

Damn it all.He wanted to be free of this man.

Turning sharply away, he drew one of his daggers and moved to lead the way back upstairs."I would not betray you in such a way, and if you insinuate such again I will beat you to within an inch of your life."

Luther smiled, and resettled the cumbersome weight upon his shoulder."Let's go."

Nodding, Kasumi darted quickly up the stairs.At the top, he shoved bodies out of the way to clear a path, then turned away from the kitchen through which he and later Luther had entered.

This time, he simply strode across the main entryway and threw open the front door.

Outside the night was still dark, but dawn was only a few hours away now.

At the top of the steps waited two lanterns.Striking the matches which had also been left, Kasumi lit the lanterns and handed one to Minoru and held fast to the other.He was sacrificing his night vision, but as a group they'd move faster with the light and if caught would seem a good deal less suspicious.

---