Indebted

77

Esti was having the most wonderful of dreams. She knew she was warm, and safe and sleeping in a bed. She had dreamed she was in a human city, and had the best meal of her life. She had dreamed that her and Atticus had danced together in a crowded club. Esti had dreamed of them walking together hand in hand among the humans. Blending in. 

Esti dreamed that Atticus had made her body and soul feel ways she couldn't even explain. Alive and loved and so much pleasure her toes had curled. Esti was trying to chase the dream. To stay in the warm hazey space. At the shadows of her mind she knew she was sleeping. She wanted to stay sleeping. Her waking moments had been filled with sadness for weeks. Esti wanted to stay in happy dreams longer.

Except it wasn't just the morning sun trying to rouse her from her slumbers. Atticus sprung upwards in the bed beside her as they both heard the undeniable sound that someone was knocking on their door. Their bedroom door, that was supposed to be in a locked and sealed apartment.

"Stay there" Atticus bid to Esti, remembering that her dreams had been real. She couldn't stop the goofy smile from taking over her face. Atticus wanted to protect her. He had made love to her and had her toes curling in pleasure long into the dark early morning hours.

Well, she had been smiling like a fool, until there was another knock as Atticus approached the door to the large bedchamber, a hesitant call from the woman who had forced the mimic's on them last night. Even though nothing had happened, and they had not been needed as guards. They would have been fine alone.

"Your majesty? Please, your presence is requested, there has." Atticus opened the door, to a clearly emotional Leary. Her eyes were red, skin all splochy red as though she had been crying right before the door opened. Looked like she was still holding back a sob every moment "A lot has happened, get dressed, please?" Leary wouldn't look at Esti, she glanced towards Atticus once or twice then turned to wait for them to get ready out in the main living area of the apartment.

Atticus closed the door. Running back to Esti, to offer her his hand to help her alight from the bed, since it seems it was time for them to get ready to face whatever today had brought to them. "I thought I had dreamed everything." Esti said, taking his offered hand, heading to the attached washroom. Brushing their teeth, and cleaning up side by side in the luxurious space. "What do you think happened? Do you think it has something to do with how upset Leary looks?" Esti asked Atticus.

He shrugged. He had only spelled the bedroom last night, not the entire apartment. Atticus wondered if he had skipped the enchantment if they could have trusted to have not had a ruder awakening. Fearing that without his protection spell, they could have been pulled from the bed. "I think it's best we wait to see what they want to tell us, and try to find time today to consider what you want to do next." Atticus felt like his skin was crawling. Getting the same feeling he had the morning he had wanted to take Esti away from the Dragon Court. Atticus felt like all his senses were telling him they were not as safe here as they had been led to believe.

Atticus went to the simple dresser in the room, finding basics in each of their sizes. Along with the contents of their luggage that had been brought from the beach. They had not really checked the room last night. Were not sure when their stuff had populated the space. 

Esti joined Atticus, together they got dressed in comfortable drawstring pants, Atticus choose a fitted black t shirt and Esti a plush pullover sweater. Esti found the carving from Terrance and Dotty on the nightstand, and tucked it into her pocket. Clean socks and cushy slides on their feet completed their outfits.

Esti and Atticus joined Leary, who was wiping tears on a paper tissue, that she quickly tossed into a waste bin. Leary took in their hyper casual outfits. Barely holding her face neutral before she shrugged her shoulders. "Fine, let's go." Leary knew Marisol was going to give her hell for being a mess in front of VIP. Leary couldn't find it in her heart to care. Not when everyone was saying it had been Marisol herself who made the call and imprisoned Theo.