The Noblesse and his Love

Chapter 22

Thoughts 

*Rai-Lin*

Makeup was my friend the next day, not that I owned any. Frankie was generous enough to go out and buy me some before school, so I wouldn't have to deal with the whispers. I was grateful for that.

To my surprise when I rose the next morning. I found a full breakfast waiting for me along with Regis and Seira. I must have looked at them weird because Regis said, "We wanted to thank you for standing up for us when you didn't have to. It was very classy of you."

I bowed my head, conjuring up a blush. "Thank you. I was just protecting my friends." They both smiled at me before walking away.

But now it was dark, and Frankie, Raziel, and I were tailing the nobles again. M was nowhere to be found, so it wasn't that big of surprise when we did finally find him with the nobles. I clenched my fists as we approached, noticing that Regis had tried to use mind control on M. Raziel linked his fingers with mine to keep me calm.

"Here you all are," Frankie said to announce our presence. "I came outside because all of you were late but didn't know you were gathered together. Good. We need to make dinner. Let's go home. Do you want any dish in particular?" Frankie clapped his hands together.

Though the others thought anything was fine, Raziel had something else in mind. "Ramyeon."

Seeing the looks on the others' faces, I shot that idea down. "No, Raziel. I think we are all tired of Ramyeon."

He sighed. "Fine."

I grinned at the relieved looks on everyone's faces.

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Dinner was a tense affair, saying as M and Regis kept bickering. My fists were clenched under the table. I wanted to intervene, to put Regis in his place, but knew to reveal myself would reveal Frankie and Raziel as well. M was on his own for now.

It didn't help that Regis attempted to use his power on Raziel and I. I saw Regis's eyes widen as he hit the barrier around my mind. Damn. I might be exposed right here. "You," he said. "The barrier around your mind is strong."

I cocked my head in confusion. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Do not play games with me. What are you?"

I looked at him closely. "Were you drinking? Was that why you were out so late?"

"Wh...How... That's insane." Regis was genuinely flustered.

"Don't worry," I whispered. "We all have a drink sometimes. Just don't tell my brother." Regis was steaming but let it go.

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Once the nobles were gone, the four of us gathered out on the balcony. I lounged against the wall. "That was a close call. Regis almost caught on when he encountered the barrier in my mind. It I hadn't flustered him so..." I trailed off.

"You're going to need to be a lot more careful. He'll be suspicious of you now," Frankie warned.

"I know."

"Still, these nobles are becoming pains in my butt. I wish they would just go away already, though it's unlikely they will do anything of the sort until the mystery of the murders is solved." I crossed my arms.

M was looking without seeing. I nudged him gently. "You shouldn't let what they say get to you. They're just stuck up. Not all nobles are like that. Some are actually quite kind, though most of them have died out." My voice became sad.

"You speak as if you knew them." M kept staring straight ahead.

"I did," I said. He finally glanced down at me, but I was already gone.

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I liked reading much like my brother. We had the same thirst for knowledge, the same desire to learn. So, that's what we were doing when M came home. "The two went out again."

"Hmm...It won't be easy. They don't seem to be used to investigating, and they won't get much from controlling minds either," Frankie didn't look up from his book. "And they can't stop investigating and trust what you told them."

"Yay," I drawled sarcastically from over top of my book. "It means we have to put up with them longer."

"I can't figure them out. They know that I know something, but they don't want to hurt humans. It's not the same info that I got from the organization." M was stressed. I could see it in the lines of his shoulders.

Frankie took off his glasses and set his book down. "Why not ask them if you were curious?" he asked. M stuttered a bit. "You would have gotten an answer if you asked. Sister, would you like to do the honors?"

I stretched, putting my book down as well. "Hmm...Where should I begin? I should tell you about the ones you wanted to know about. We don't know when the so-called Noblesse appeared. Some say they appeared with humans, and some say they pre-existed humans..." I then launched into the history of the nobles, which would be boring to most people. I knew it so well that it was easy to tell. After all, I was married to the Noblesse.

M was flustered by the end of my story. I grinned at him. "They weren't who you thought they were, were they?"

"No," he said softly. "No, they weren't."

"Well, it's up to you whether to tell them what you know." I laid backwards and stretched my feet out, so they were in Frankie's lap.

Frankie pushed them off him. "Don't put your stinky feet near me."

Wiggling my feet close to his face, I laughed. "How does that smell, big brother?"

"I'm gonna get you." Frankie pounced, ticking my sides. I screeched and writhed. The smile on Raziel's and M's faces didn't go unnoticed as I tried to get away.

"M," I reached out to him. "Help me."

M thought about it for a minute before ripping Frankie off me. Frankie glowered at M for a moment before I tacked Frankie to the ground, using my power to hold him in place. I put my foot on his chest. "I am the winner," I crowed, while M laughed. This was something I had missed.