Who Needs Air

Three: All In Time

Verity let her mind linger on the idea of this being her dying moment. The sight of Grey's horrified expression down below her, her once lovely dress now charred at the edges, at least her mask was still intact. However, the expected pain of the daggers never came and Verity began to wonder if she was already dead.

That's when she noticed it. Grey was no longer breathing, he was... frozen. Of course not in ice, but just motionless, his tense position giving off an unnatural feeling. Verity glanced beyond him at John, who was frozen with his arm outstretched towards her, water left in mid-air as if he was attempting to stop the daggers.

Verity gulped, slowly and cautiously daring to look back. Verity's eyes landed on the daggers that were only inches away from colliding into her back, her eyes flickering from them to the motionless Aries.

Movement caught her attention and it wasn't until then that she realized she wasn't the only one unfrozen. Her eyes fell on a masked man leaning on pillar not too far from the door. His nonchalant posture only added to his mysterious allure. His gaze held Verity captive and for a second she wasn't sure if she should be terrified or grateful for his presence.

Verity tried to find the words, anything that would initiate  a conversation of some sorts with the stranger, but she couldn't manage. As if registering her plea, the man pushed away from the wall, his hands going into his pants pockets, ruffling his suit. The closer he got the faster Verity's heart began to pound.

It wasn't until he was a mere foot away that she realized that she had been holding her breath. He was beautiful. Not the kind of beauty that you would find in a magazine, but the kind that someone could just stare at all day and still not get used to someone that gorgeous, even with a mask.

Though her gaze had refused to leave his own, it wasn't until now that his eyes seemed odd to her. That is, until he took one step closer did she realize that one eye had been a bright blue and the other a murky brown. Verity mentally slapped herself, how could she miss that?

He slowly lifted his hand, Verity tensing at his motion. Sensing this, he paused, tilting his head slightly and proceeding until his thumb brushed against her cheek. As soon as she felt his touch she was aware of the flesh wound that wasn't at all noticeable until now. She winced, but still keeping her eyes on the masked man before her.

In a matter of seconds the pain was gone, the man let his hand fall to his side, and without another word he left her and made his way towards John. Verity felt the area in which the wound was once located and felt the smooth skin that was now completely healed. She quickly snapped her attention toward John where the man had just stood up, tossing pieces of glass to the ground in the process.

The mysterious, and awfully silent man turned back to Verity, his lengthy strides making his advancement short. He glanced from Verity to Aries, keeping his features expressionless. "You might want to move," he spoke for the first time. Verity glanced toward the daggers that were still pointed at her and stepped aside.

In a blink of an eye everything was set in motion and the daggers flew into the opposing wall. Grey seemed dazed on the ground and as Verity looked back at John she watched his water fall to the ground as he rubbed his head.

"Aries," the mysterious man to Verity's side spoke with authority. "It's been a while."

Aries features of confidence shifted immediately at the sight of the man, her uneasiness very unsettling. "Your majesty," she dipped her chin, but her eyes never leaving him. "What have I done to receive the honor of-"

The man held up a hand to silence her, she was quick to comply. "My time here has long expired." He turned his attention back to Verity, his gaze never drifting to Grey who now stood defensively beside her. "Let's hope we do not meet on such circumstances again," his stone features continuing to add to his dark appeal. Without another word, the man stepped passed Grey and Verity taking his sweet time getting to the shattered window then looking back at Aries. "It would be wise to leave before the three arrive."