52

Kiera waited outside the office, having followed Argon's car from the apartment to the building. He sat in his car, watching the entrance closely. His face was bruised, and his left eye was swollen. His arm was roughly bandaged, a testament to a lack of interest in fixing it properly. Fatigue weighed on him from the rough fight the night before, but he didn't rest despite his obvious exhaustion.

Leo walked out of the building, the sun shining brightly despite the previous night's gloomy weather. She squinted against the light, raising a hand to shield her eyes. "Agh! It is so hot," she winced, taking a deep breath. Before she could dwell on it further, Kiera drove up to her. She sighed in relief, springing up and rushing to the other side of the car, quickly hopping inside.

"Oh! You are here just in time!" she said joyously, turning to look at him. She froze instantly. "What the? What happened to your face?" she jumped in surprise. His bruised skin held some open wounds, and he seemed to be in significant pain.

"Nothing," Kiera gave a dry response, briefly glancing at her and noticing the surprise and concern etched on her face.

"But yesterday you were fine! Did your master do this to you? How did this happen? That looks so painful. Are you sure you can drive?" Leo spoke with utmost concern, completely out of character. A pang of pain in her chest made her feel stuffy and anxious.

"Shh—I have a headache," Kiera said, putting a finger to his mouth and shaking his head sideways. Leo's parted lips paused, and she breathed out heavily before falling back into the seat, keeping her gaze on Kiera.

"I really thought you were tough and no one could beat you up. Guess I was wrong," she said, pouting purposefully, trying to provoke him into speaking.

"I am tough—"

"Yeah, and how do you explain those wounds then? Guess there are more skilled fighters out there. Tsk—such a disappointment. Hurry up, tell me who did this to you. I will help you beat them up," she said, the words coming out so smoothly as if they were not hers. Inside, she felt her stomach turning with anger.

Kiera slowed down, looking back at her, his gaze confused, nervous, and horrified.

'Who did this to you? Tell me, and I will ask Father to punish them for you!' Leo's head flashed with a memory. She blinked and shook her head. "What was that?" she muttered.

Kiera was still. "What did you just say?"

Leo shifted her gaze away, 'That was a memory... Liora's memory, I think.' Her frown deepened. 'Did she have a close relationship with Kiera before? That's new information.' As far as she knew, Liora's past was filled with betrayal from those she once cared for, starting from her mother to her father, and even the brother she dearly saved by pretending to be him for a while. Let alone Magnus, who was the love interest in her life. This was a new revelation to her—that Liora had some kind of relationship with Kiera, allowing her to speak so freely with him. Especially with someone who was feared by many, second only to Magnus. 

This realization made Leo understand why she felt more comfortable around Kiera than anyone else at this point. Lost in deep thought, she didn't realize they had arrived at her new place until she reached the foot of the building.

"Get off, we are here," Kiera opened the car door and got out. Leo looked around the window, narrowing her gaze. "Hmm? This place is familiar," she muttered to herself and got off after him, watching the street curiously. It was an ordinary street, with small shops all around and a narrow driving space in between. Red brick walls and a tone of advertisement boards hung from every side. Leo was sure she had seen this place before. Kiera headed into one of the tallest buildings on the street, an apartment complex with around four floors at most. The building was grey and boring. Leo followed him and entered the building, finding a desk right in front of the door where a woman sat behind a tall glass window, watching them like a hawk.

Kiera ignored her and continued to walk up the stairs to the left of the desk area. On the second floor, Kiera turned towards one of the doors in the corridor. "I can swear I have been here before," Leo was now certain she had seen these doors before, but the exact memory was completely wiped from her mind. The thought vanished when Kiera stopped in front of a door and started to unlock it with a rusty key. Her gaze was fixed on his hand, struggling to turn the key.

"Is this the place?" Leo asked, already unenthusiastic about the shabby-looking apartment. Something about his hand briefly brushed past her eyes, bringing a frown to her face. Finally, the door opened, and Kiera pulled back his hand into his pocket, holding out the door. "Get inside," he said stiffly, clearly biting his teeth in pain.

Leo's prior thoughts about the apartment subsided, and Kiera's expressions took the front seat in her mind. For some reason, his appearance in the brief memory made her feel like she needed to know more about Liora's relationship with him because it seemed like something very close.

She did as she was told and stepped into the apartment followed by Kiera. The place was small, with a cosy living room connected to an open kitchen. On one side, a door presumably led to a bedroom, while the other end of the living room featured a tall window that opened onto a short, narrow balcony. The sofas and furniture were covered with white sheets, and a few boxes lay scattered, still unpacked.

"This looks familiar as well," Leo murmured to herself but then looked towards Kiera, who had walked in now.

"This is your home from now on. The bedroom has been set, and Master has sent you some clothing. The refrigerator is stocked with food, which you can cook as you please. Just bear in mind that—"