William felt Mackenzie squeeze his knee in a gentle warning. McCarthy's comment had shaken his focus, angered him more than it should have. The knowledge that people held Borseti against Mackenzie -- a little girl who had lost everything -- frustrated him, even more so because he knew he couldn't defend her more vigorously without arousing suspicion.
As Mac stood up to leave, Will nodded and gave her hand a parting squeeze. "Okay, babe," he said with a smile, still trying to play the part, even if it meant pet names. He knew that Mackenzie wasn't betting on getting anything useful out of McCarthy and those near him in light of her "reputation".
William waited until Mackenzie was out of earshot for the sake of appearances before deciding to continue the conversation. "She doesn't know about the vote," Will said in a hushed tone, delivering the lie with a straight face, with just a tinge of guilt to sell it fully. "Not all of it." He paused to take a sip from his rum & coke. He knew it might seem strange for Mac to be so chummy with those who had nearly had her executed.
Elijah sat there against the wall, clutching at his abdomen attempting to summon the strength to stand for several moments. The sound of Ash calling his name cut through the fog of pain as she knelt down alongside him. He was comforted by her proximity, less so by her tone when she demanded an explanation from him.
What could he say? That he cared about her so deeply that he couldn't bear the thought of her crying, alone, while she washed his sheets of all things? That wouldn't go well for any number of reasons... so he fell back to the only defense he knew. "Oh, you know me," he hissed between gritted teeth. "I wanted to take a walk, stretch the legs. Maybe get some air. Don't tell Nurse Ratchet."
As Mac stood up to leave, Will nodded and gave her hand a parting squeeze. "Okay, babe," he said with a smile, still trying to play the part, even if it meant pet names. He knew that Mackenzie wasn't betting on getting anything useful out of McCarthy and those near him in light of her "reputation".
William waited until Mackenzie was out of earshot for the sake of appearances before deciding to continue the conversation. "She doesn't know about the vote," Will said in a hushed tone, delivering the lie with a straight face, with just a tinge of guilt to sell it fully. "Not all of it." He paused to take a sip from his rum & coke. He knew it might seem strange for Mac to be so chummy with those who had nearly had her executed.
Elijah sat there against the wall, clutching at his abdomen attempting to summon the strength to stand for several moments. The sound of Ash calling his name cut through the fog of pain as she knelt down alongside him. He was comforted by her proximity, less so by her tone when she demanded an explanation from him.
What could he say? That he cared about her so deeply that he couldn't bear the thought of her crying, alone, while she washed his sheets of all things? That wouldn't go well for any number of reasons... so he fell back to the only defense he knew. "Oh, you know me," he hissed between gritted teeth. "I wanted to take a walk, stretch the legs. Maybe get some air. Don't tell Nurse Ratchet."
NanLia