Catching Up With a Friend

*Hezzlie*

I couldn’t go back to sleep.
I really tried for a while, and I dozed off for a few minutes, but it doesn’t really count because I kept one ear open for any sounds relating to the battle I knew was waging on outside or Rowan coming in.
I got out of bed, took a shower, and got dressed, thankful that I had left a lot of my better clothes here after all. Then, I sat in that familiar chair by the window and waited.
The sun is beginning to come up now, and I’m considering going looking for my mom or for Rowan. I’m sure the door is unlocked. He has no reason to keep me locked up like a prisoner anymore.
I don’t quite get that far, though.
When I pull the door open, I find Dean there, his hand poised to knock. In fact, he almost bops me in the forehead. Thankfully, he pulls up short, and I’m thankful. That’s one big dude, and I don’t need his fist in my face.
“Hi,” he says with a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”
Rather than responding to his apology for almost hitting me, I wrap my arms around him and hug him tight. I guess I hadn’t realized just how much I missed him. I’ve thought about him every day that I’ve been gone. I missed all of my friends from here, and Dean did stab me in the back a few times, just like James did, but I understand now why he did all the things he did before he delivered me to my father.
He hugs me back, and we just stand there for so long, I can’t even keep track of time.
Finally, he says, “If Rowan finds us, we’re both dead.”
Giggling, I look up at him. “He knows we’re just friends.”
“Rowan isn’t the sort of man who thinks first and punches later,” Dean reminds me, releasing his tight grip around me.
“Good point. Do you want to come in?” I step away from him, and he nods. “Maybe we’ll leave the door open.” I don’t want Rowan to have any reason to let the idea that something shady is going on enter his caveman brain.
Dean follows me across the room, and we sit next to the window. Once I can see him in the light of day, I realize he’s scratched up. He has a deep gash across his right cheek and several smaller scratches on his face. They look like they’ve been cleaned and treated, but I’m still concerned. “What happened?”
He smirks at me. “We had a bit of a battle out there, Hez. But don’t worry. I’m fine.” He leans a little closer and lowers his voice. “You should see the other guy.”
It’s such a classic Dean thing to say that it has me giggling despite my dismay. “Is everyone else okay?”
“Everyone you know,” he says, leaning back in his chair. The light in his eyes dims slightly.
I shake my head. “People died? Because of me?”
“No. People died because of your fucking father,” he corrects. “He’s such an asshole. He could’ve just let you come and go as he pleases, but no. He tries to control everyone. He could've just let you come back if that’s what you wanted. He could’ve just not killed Rowan’s parents and fucked up his sister’s brain.”
I open my mouth to respond, to agree with him, but then I realize I can hear my brother playing the violin again, and I can’t help but smile because it’s so beautiful.
At the same time, my eyes fill with tears because it’s so haunting and painful. I know he is hurting for his mate.
Dean reaches over and places his enormous hand on top of mine. “It’ll be okay. We can beat him. I know whe can.”
I nod. I think we can, too. “Do you know about me?” I’m whispering because the door is open.
His bushy eyebrows touch as he tries to figure out what I’m talking about. “What are you talking about?”
I know Rowan wouldn’t want me telling just anyone, not yet, but Dean and I are good friends, and I trust him to help me figure out how I can be useful. I pull my hand away from him and lift it into the air. Immediately, that soft ball of light forms and begins to glow.
He gasps and leans away from me at first, but then, I see the curiosity replace any fear. “What the fuck, Hez? You told me you didn’t have any magic.”
“I lied.” I shrug and start to close my hand, but then he lifts a finger to poke at the ball of light. I’m concerned it might burn him, but it doesn’t. Apparently, I can control whether or not my magic is harmful. Lucky him.
“Cool. It’s warm, but not hot.”
“I could use it to burn you if I wanted,” I say with a shrug. He pokes it again. I snap my hand closed. “It’s not a toy.”
“It could be.” He smirks at me. “Is that what your brother meant when he said you used your powers?”
“He said that?” I don’t know what he’s talking about, but now I am wondering who else already knows about this.
Dean nods. “He mentioned it at the bridge. He was talking to Rowan. I overheard him because I like to eavesdrop.”
“I see.” I take a deep breath, hoping not a lot of people are as nosy as Dean is.
“You used your powers to get away?” It’s not really a question because he already knows the answer.
“Yeah. I didn’t want to, but I had to blast Zeb out of the way because he was waiting for us at the gate. And then, I had to use it to float myself and my friends over the warriors waiting for us at the bridge.” Mentioning my friends makes me wonder where Abby and Tony are. I suppose Tony isn’t really my friend since I just met him, but we did have an adventure together.
“That’s impressive,” Dean tells me. “We can definitely use you to our advantage.”
A heaviness sinks into my chest, but I nod along. I want to help. I’m just scared. “However I can.”
He scratches his chin. “Maybe you can unlock the magic around the doors.”
I hear what he said, but before I can respond, I realize that I can no longer hear Aiden playing the violin. I hope he’s just taking a break and that everything is okay. I could check with him through the mind-link, but then I realize what Dean just mentioned. “Doors?”
“Oh, yeah. We found some tunnels underneath the yard, and they’re blocked by magic.”
“Right. My mom mentioned that,” I remember. “I’m happy to take a look. Aiden said something about… valuables under the mansion?”
“We don’t know,” Dean says with a shrug. “We’ve heard rumors. It’d be nice to know if there’s something down there your father wants. At least, that way we’d have some sort of a reason for him to have attacked us to begin with.”
“Right.” I suck in more air and try not to let my anxiety get the best of me. I’m worried about all of it, honestly. I look toward the door, wondering if Rowan is back. If Dean is here, that means the battle is over–for now. Where is my mate?
“Who’s the red-head?” Dean asks, interrupting my thoughts again.
I turn my gaze toward him. “Abby?”
“Is that her name? I didn’t catch it before. Who is she?”
Now, it’s my turn to furrow my brow. “Uhm, her father is an ambassador to my father,” I tell him. “We became friends the night I moved into the castle. She helped me navigate. That place is super confusing.” I start to launch into a story about how often I got lost, but that’s not what he’s asking about, and I suddenly see an interest behind his eyes like I haven’t before. “Why?”
His shrug is meant to look nonchalant, but it looks forced. “Just curious.”
I want to really pry. Does Dean have the hots for Abby? “Well, I know she’s eager to meet her mate.”
His eyebrows raise, and he nods. I’d said that as a deterrent, but it doesn’t seem to have worked.
Which leads to my next question. “Do you happen to think you know who her mate is?”
He grins at me, and my heart starts to pound in my chest as I anticipate his response.
“I do know who her mate is.”
That’s all he’s going to say? I want to smack him. “How do you know who he is? Do you know him?”
“I do know him.” He has a shit-eating grin on his face as he continues. “Him is me.”