The Noblesse and his Love

Chapter 65

*M*

I shouldn't have gotten so angry at Rai-Lin. She didn't mean her words in the way I had taken them. I had practically asked for them anyway when I called her stupid. I would have reacted the same way.

I paced back and forth in my room, debating on if I should return to the living room and make things right. I knew I should, but I was afraid we would get into another argument. I didn't want to make her condition any worse than I already had.

The door to my room opened. My head snapped in that direction to see Takio and Tao entering the room, looking distraught. I swooped down upon them. "What happened? Is Rai-Lin okay?"

Tao was pale. "We don't know. Frankenstein and Raizel rushed her down to the lab after she fell unconscious. She was covered in blood."

I started to shake. "What?"

"She struggled too hard trying to get up and go after you. Her body wasn't ready for that amount of stress yet." Takio crossed his arms. "The only way we could get her to calm down was by promising to talk to you."

I sat heavily on my bed, putting my head in my hands. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't mean-"

"We know," Takio said, sitting down on one side of me while Tao sat on the other. "And Rai-Lin knew, too."

"She wanted us to tell you that she loved you and that she was sorry." Tao continued.

I laughed humorlessly. "Of course, she would be concerned with apologizing while she is bleeding out," I paused to raise my head. "I know she didn't mean the words as I took them. I know she is simply scared of losing us. But what I don't think she realizes is how scared we are of losing her."

"Rai-Lin has had a hard life, harder in some ways than ours. I think she knows how much we don't want to lose her. I also think she is even more scared than we are at the thought of losing us," Takio steepled his fingers. "I believe we are just going to have to get stronger and do a better job of protecting ourselves because there is no way Rai-Lin is going to stop protecting us."

"I agree," Tao said. "Rai-Lin will always do her best to protect us. We are family, her little brothers, and she will do anything to protect her family."

*Rai-Lin*

M hadn't visited me. After our argument, I had been stuck in the lab for the last two days. Takio and Tao assured me that he was no longer mad, just ashamed of what had happened. I wanted to visit him, but Frankie didn't want me to talk to him until I was completely healed. Now, on the morning of my third day in the lab, I had had enough.

I stretched before sitting up. Raizel, who was reading a book beside me, glanced over. He already knew what I was about to do. "Are you going to stop me?" I asked.

He chuckled lowly. "When have I ever been able to stop you?"

"Good point." I leaned over and planted a tender kiss on his lips. "I'll be back."

"Just don't end up back down here covered in blood again."

"I think I can avoid that." I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. There was almost no pain when I stood. I was almost completely healed, and that would have to be enough for Frankie. I headed upstairs.

The children were over, and the little brothers and the nobles were playing a game with them. Shinwu looked up when I entered. "Lin!" he yelled. Everyone stared at me except M, whose eyes were on the ground.

I offered a wane smile to the children as they bounded up to me. Yuna looked at me with wide eyes. "Tao said you had an accident. We were so worried."

My smile became more genuine. "No need to worry. I am almost completely healed."

"Key word being almost," Frankie came up behind me and put a hand on my shoulder. "You should still be in bed."

"You're a worrywart, Frankie," My eyes slid over to M. "I need to talk to M, if you all don't mind."

"Of course not," the children chorused.

With slow and deliberate movements, M stood up and walked over to me. "Shall we go outside?" I asked.  He gave a small nod.

We didn't talk until we were on the balcony where Raziel's Knights had their meeting. I brushed a piece of hair behind my ear as it was beginning to be unkept. "I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have said the things I did. I was so blinded by my own past that I didn't think about your past," I looked out over the railing. "I never want to go through what I went through before again. Before I lost Raziel, I never used my powers, never fought beyond training. Afterwards, I learned to protect what I cared about. I care about you, all of you."

"You're right, though. I am a hypocrite. I don't like when anyone puts themselves in danger for me, not even Raizel, who is very powerful. I would much rather put myself in danger. I should not have acted like I did when you pointed out my hypocrisy. It only hurt you."

M took my hand, drawing my attention back to his face. "I am sorry, too. I shouldn't have blown up like I did," He rubbed his neck with his other hand. "I have a problem with my temper, and I wrongfully took out on you."

I squeezed his hand. "Truce."

"For sure."