Oracle

Part 28

Jaspar was shivering in Elison's arms at Maria announcement that she was still alive after having a mark put on her. Elison wanted to do another gesture to reassure Jaspar but he was aware he had already gotten away with a lot that day. Jaspar was normally not so willing to let him hug and manhandle him but the man was in one of his more depressed moods that day.

The silence which occurred after Maria's announcement was broken by the sound of a door swinging open and a very tired and sleepy voice asking, "What's going on?" Justice had been woken up by all the noise and come down in his dark green dressing gown and striped pyjamas. "Wardens?" he added almost politely through the grouchiness in his voice revealed he wasn't too happy at being woken up. Elison smiled at the sight, hiding it behind a hand. He loved Justice when he was grumpy.

"Sorry sweetheart," Maria called over from where she was tying off the final stitch. More than a few of the men in the room had been impressed by her skills, Justice noted. Not that Maria was ever really thought of as a weak woman who couldn't stand blood, but the fact she also had the skills to patch up serious injuries was an impressive one to have. "Just Timmy being an idiot, go back to bed," she murmured gently.

Warden Timothy visibly rustled unhappily. With his arm now stitched up so it was no longer bleeding everywhere, Maria started putting bandages over the large cut to help protect it. The man had been incredibility lucky that day whether he realised it or not. The Ram skulls were not people to laugh at and somehow he had escaped with only the added help of Maria.

"I was hardly being an idiot," Tim scowled darkly, reminding Elison of a told off child. Maria just hit over the man over the head again.

"You pissed off some of the most powerful people in the city and got a mark put on your back. That's being stupid in my eyes," Maria hissed, her hooded eyes still bright yellow. They hadn't faded back to her normal hazelnut brown yet.

Elison couldn't help but wonder what was Maria's motivations were for keeping the man alive. He had never seen her get so determined to keep another warden alive before. Of the two other current wardens, Isaac was the friendlier and warm warden. She was also clearly annoyed with Tim for this as well, but Elison knew she had no romantic feelings for the man. Barely had friendship feelings as well from what he had seen of their interactions.

Justice grumbled but nodded, walking over to the bar yawning. "I'll just get something to drink then," he settled on. Leo pulled him close for a cheeky kiss as he was collecting the glasses off the tables. Justice paused for the kiss before continuing to the bar, a few of the customers' wolf-whistling in the response. Now the excitement had died now, most of the customers had gone back to their own conversations. Most were still keeping half an eye on the wardens, though.

Once she had finished wrapping Tim's arm up, she slumped back on her own hair looking very tired. Her normally rose tinted beige skin was greyer with dark bags under her eyes. Her raven black hair, when looking closer, looked was greasy and dull, tied up in a loose ponytail and she wasn't wearing her normal blood red lipstick either. Tim wasn't looking much better either, his more russet beige skin having a slightly ill look to it as well, and his short hair was equally unkempt and a mess.

Both of the wardens looked distinctly like they needed a good night's sleep and few days off to bathe in the sun. It was not a good sign, Elison mused. It was one thing to have one of the wardens looking overworked, if that was the case they could have a break and the other two would cover the ground, but two of them? Something was building up in the air and the more unstable members of the supernatural community were reacting to it.

"I'm sure things will calm down soon," Justice yawned after finished his glass of milk, walking over to Maria and patting her shoulder in sympathy. She caught his hand gently and held it for a moment. Then Elison noticed something. He only noticed because he was paying attention to them, everyone else was in their own worlds, Tim looking like he was about to fall to sleep in his arms. Maria passed Justice something, something which Justice hid up his sleeve.