there's light at the edge of the darkness
The fact that the gossip just so happened to involve him didn’t mean it wasn’t gossip. Phoebe seemed to have some trouble grasping that concept, though that was the least of Loren’s problems with her at the moment. ”You figured wrong.” That was the crux of the issue: the healer thought she knew how to help him, and she really, really didn’t. And she yet she persisted in insisting that he accept her offer of assistance. If she kept doing that, he’d have to keep turning her down in increasingly harsh ways.
The Launceleyn thought Phoebe protested a little too much. And, in all her angry yelling, he noticed she never actually said he was wrong. A cruel smile formed on his lips. ”Yes. I’m the self-centered one. Not the one who failed to take other's feelings into consideration.” He stepped forward, arms behind his back, closing the distance between them. ”Why would you want me, that is indeed the question. And yes. I have some nerve. Glad to see you’ve found yours as well, though I seemed to have stepped on one of them.” He laughed at her again. ”As for me, well, I had a mental breakdown. In fact, I think I’ve been in the midst of it until now.” His icy fury had brought that into stark focus.
When she finally ordered him out of the college, however, he grinned at her. ”Gladly. Come along Astra.” After providing the healer with some comfort, the luxere had backed away to huddle in a corner; Astra hesitated only a moment before coming to his side. While she was scared by this new side of him, she knew he needed her now more than ever, and would stick by him until whatever had overcome him had passed.
Loren didn’t even notice, just stepped back to see whether Phoebe would try to enforce her command.
The Launceleyn thought Phoebe protested a little too much. And, in all her angry yelling, he noticed she never actually said he was wrong. A cruel smile formed on his lips. ”Yes. I’m the self-centered one. Not the one who failed to take other's feelings into consideration.” He stepped forward, arms behind his back, closing the distance between them. ”Why would you want me, that is indeed the question. And yes. I have some nerve. Glad to see you’ve found yours as well, though I seemed to have stepped on one of them.” He laughed at her again. ”As for me, well, I had a mental breakdown. In fact, I think I’ve been in the midst of it until now.” His icy fury had brought that into stark focus.
When she finally ordered him out of the college, however, he grinned at her. ”Gladly. Come along Astra.” After providing the healer with some comfort, the luxere had backed away to huddle in a corner; Astra hesitated only a moment before coming to his side. While she was scared by this new side of him, she knew he needed her now more than ever, and would stick by him until whatever had overcome him had passed.
Loren didn’t even notice, just stepped back to see whether Phoebe would try to enforce her command.
loren
