Page 39 of Reine's Salvation

“Is she not? You guys seem to be quite connected considering how little you know each other.”

“She’s a perceptionist. It’s in her nature to worry about others.”

“Really? I don’t know Reine, I’ve met quite a few perceptionists and none of them would have run after you like Mystique did earlier today.”

Reine’s head began to pound as Max spoke.

“Leslie was my mate. “

“It is not unheard of for Guardians to have more than one mate in a lifetime. We are long-lived, but we are not immortal. We continue to live and to feel.”

“What are you, a love guru?” Reine spat. He rubbed his temples. Max chuckled, the sound grating on his nerves.

“No, of course not. Like I said, I’ve come to gather your report to take to the council. You’re angry right now, aren’t you, Reine?” Max crossed his legs at the ankle. He appeared relaxed, but Reine knew better. One of his hands rested on his knee but the other was on the side, near his hip, were he probably kept a concealed weapon.

“What? Do you think I’m going to attack you?” Reine said, making sure his tone dripped with sarcasm.

“Considering the look of this place, I wouldn’t put it past you, to be honest,” Max said.

Reine jumped to his feet. “Are you trying to tell me something, Max?”

Max cocked his head.

“No, not at all. But, I do wonder, why are you so furious, Reine?”

“Everyone keeps asking me the damn same thing. What do you want me to be? Happy? In the last three years I lost my wife, my friends, my family, my job, and my arm.” Reine began to pace the room in an attempt to hold back his irritation and the growing ring in his head.

“How often does your head hurt, Reine?”

“What? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Just answer the question,” Max said.

“At least once a day, why?”

“Do you think that’s normal?” Max asked. He leaned forward in his seat.

“When your life is miserable, your head hurts, so yes, I think it’s normal. You wouldn’t know, now would you?”

“Of course not,” Max agreed.

Reine leaned against the wall. What was it with the kid? Max was acting in a condescending, almost patriarchal way. Who did he think he was? Reine was older and more experienced than him. They’d been friends once, but that had changed years ago. Reine was alone. He’d been on his own for a long time.

“Do you have anything to report about Lance?” Max asked.

“That it sucks.”

“Reine, I need you to focus. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary?”

“Oak Road.”

Reine massaged his forehead. The humming in his head was increasing to the point that Max’s voice sounded far-off. He closed his eyes. Mystique’s smiling face faded into darkness. He groaned.

“Are you okay?”

“Headache.”

“Reine, that’s not a headache.”

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