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Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Temporary Departure

She returned her eyes to Nexus;

"That\'s just what I\'m currently dealing with doctor. Every waking moment of the day, I spend it trying to figure out what the enemy\'s thinking- just so I can protect my family you know. . ."

Nexus remained silent.

". . .I value family above all things. . ." she declared emphatically;

". . .and this is why I just can\'t allow myself come between you and yours. I don\'t want to be the reason you fall out with Crystal. I know she\'s not exactly pleased with me. . so, I\'m offering to remove you from the equation altogether. . ."

Nexus smiled with his eyes as the green leaves swayed over his head

"You\'re too gracious Mrs. Russell, far too gracious. . .but I\'m afraid you might have misinterpreted this one."

"Oh have I?"

He nodded;

"Indeed. I might be jumping the gun here, but I believe Crystal has actually come to like Nora as a friend. And that\'s saying a lot, because she just doesn\'t like anybody. . ."

Mrs. Russell\'s eyes shone as she laughed;

"Are you kidding me?" she placed her hand on her chest as she chuckled; "Trust me, I know how much that is true."

"Exactly," he snapped his fingers lightly; "So, you have nothing to worry about Lady Russell. I am always on the side of justice, and from what I hear, the Howard family happens to be quite the oppressive bunch."

She rolled her eyes;

"Tell me about it," she eyed the black bird still encircling the skies; "They steal from my family, and then have the guts to act all principled about it? Honestly, the nerve on them. . ."

"Well," Nexus said as he shrugged his shoulders; "To be fair, you did place their son under an illusion, and have him rape an animal- right in front of every single person on the estate! I mean, come on?!"

Her blue eyes danced mischievously;

"Yeah, maybe I could have handled things better. But if you had been there, I promise you, you would have understood. That boy was a serious punk."

"Oh I don\'t doubt that at all. Still, that ability of yours is a dangerous one. . .I\'m just glad it wasn\'t me. . ."

For the briefest moment, there was a slight trace of something funny in her eyes. But it was gone within the fraction of a second.

Suddenly all business now, she pulled her gaze away from the landscape, and faced him. As she took a deep breath, her heavy breasts rose and fell in one fell swoop through her sleeveless, flowery gown.

"Look doctor, I gotta hand it to you- you\'re a good dude. Right from the very first moment you slid into my bed to begin my healing process, you\'ve been nothing but respectful and kind. . ."

Her eyes twitched when the sound of neighing horses suddenly came echoing in the air as a stable boy fed them lumps of sugar. Sidelining the distraction, the lady resumed her speech;

". . .but, I\'ve been thinking, and your life is just too precious to be risked doctor. I would never forgive myself if I robbed the world of someone so good, and talented. . ."

Narrowing his eyes, Nexus strove to make his point;

"Ma\'am, I appreciate the vote of thanks, but I feel like you\'re making me out to be some kind of saint. Believe me, I\'m not just some bookish healer, I can hold my own in battle. . .you don\'t need to worry. . ."

A puff of white cloud drifted across the open heavens, blotting out the golden rays, and basking the castle\'s grounds in a blanket of gray;

"Oh trust me doctor, I know you\'re not a saint. . ." she said with a trace of mischief in her voice;

"But that\'s hardly the issue here. You need to trust me when I say things are going to get messy, REALLY MESSY. I would hate for you to have to be around such drama just because of our actions."

Again she looked up at the bird flying in the sky, and clasped both her hands behind her back;

"Monica killed Paul," her tone was fraught with a mixture of sadness and partial regret.

Nexus interjected;

"But they don\'t know that for sure. . ."

"They don\'t need too. . .as much as I detest the Howards, I still understand. If it was me that lost a child in such a humiliating way. . ."

She released her arms from behind her, and balled them into a fist;

". . .I would be preparing to scorch the earth right now. . .trust me. . ."

A long stretch of silence reigned in the wake of that revealing statement. They both stood there, under the shade of the orchard, watching the big black bird with the massive wings circle around the castle.

Nexus found himself wondering- was a magician really watching?

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"Crystal get up," Nexus threw a pillow at her; "We\'re leaving right away. . ."

Her body was curled up in a fetal position on the large feather bed. Her eyes flared open as she jerked up immediately. Still drowsy, and with her long black hair draped over her face, she echoed her thoughts as they were in her head;

"Right now?" she purred; "Why? What happened? Are we safe?"

Nexus ignored her question, and bent over the edge of her bed, rustling on the sheets as he tightened the makeshift bag he had constructed only a few hours ago;

"We\'re leaving this place for good Crystal. Get your stuff ready. . ."

Crystal\'s sunken eyes widened in their sockets. She automatically jerked her head towards the window- it was still black as a waterless pit outside;

"M\'lord is everything okay? It\'s still quite early. . ."

She thrust her legs out to the side, and slid out of comfortable bed in two quick movements. Standing before Nexus in her nightie, she placed her hands on her hips, and kept her gaze locked on him as he battled with his hammock-like bag;

"M\'lord?"

Sweating despite the cool morning breeze, he stopped for a brief moment to look at her;

"The Lady of the estate had kindly asked that we vacate the premises–"

Crystal\'s wide eyes went even wider;

"–she say\'s it\'s important we leave before dawn, just in case there are spies from the Howard family watching the castle. Now hurry up and get your things! There\'s barely an hour and a half left till dawn. . .so we need to be outta here in the next few minutes!"

He hoisted his bag up with his muscled arm, and slung it over his right shoulder;

"I\'ll be waiting for you downstairs in the Great Hall."

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In the Great Hall, while the rest of the Castle slept on, Nexus waited for Crystal at the door. He looked down the long hall, and watched the shadows on the walls lengthened as the candles diminished. The statues of armored knights holding upside down swords seemed to come alive in the darkness- taunting him from the shadows.

"Were you really going to leave without saying goodbye?"

Nexus nearly jumped.

The feminine voice snatched at him from the darkness.

It was Mrs. Russell. Once again, she emerged out of nowhere and stepped out into the light with zero warning. With his breaths slowly returning, he watched as she floated towards him in her white kimono- wondering how she always seemed to sneak up on him.

\'Of course,\' he thought; \'How could I forget she\'s part smoke, and part human. . .\'

Behind her, the younger blonde followed closely- dressed in a loose fitting gown, and with her long hair falling all the way across her shoulders.

Clearing his throat, he coughed slightly;

"I believe we already said our goodbyes Lady Russell- remember? Yesterday? Under the tree? When you asked me to leave?"

"Come on doctor," she soft sturdy voice bounced through the vast open space; "You\'re not still sore about that are you? You already know I have no choice on this. . ."

"It\'s all good, I understand."

She laughed mildly as she quietly closed the distance between them;

"Somehow, I truly doubt that."

She arrived, and stood before him, gazing into his hardened eyes under the waning candlelight. She stretched out her hand;

"Here, take this."

The long sleeve of her white kimono shrouded the object, plus it was too dark to see what it was anyway. Inquisitive, Nexus promptly stretched out his hand, and felt the harsh coldness of a metal land in his palm- lined with a kind of cord.

Lifting it up to the light, he asked the obvious;

"What is this?"

Nora answered;

"It\'s our family\'s badge. If you hold it up to the light, you\'ll be able to see the Russell crest engraved on the surface. It\'s hard to miss."

Nexus clutched the fist sized object in his hand, and nodded at the two women;

"Thank you. I know what this means."

"Don\'t mention it doctor," Madeline chimed; "You will always be a part of this family wherever you are. Thought about where you\'ll go from here?"

"Well, I guess it\'s off to the next adventure."

"I thought as much. I think you\'ve been in town long enough, so I\'m guessing you\'ve heard of True Potions?"

Nexus lifted up badge and hoisted it over his head, bringing it down till it sat on his neck. He answered absentmindedly;

"It sounds familiar. . .why?"

"The establishment is owned by a good friend of mine- Selina. I suggest you head there and tell her I sent you. She\'ll be good to you. I promise."

After tucking in the crest, Nexus lifted his head and caught Nora\'s face. The poor girl\'s eyes were heavily moist. Her face was strained- clearly making an effort not to cry.