1886

~Tove

There's only one thing on my mind.

I open the door to Mary's apartment, stepping inside. Arkyn sits on the couch while Dax helps Mary carry her bags from her bedroom.

"I've decided I no longer want to go," I voice confidently, trying to pretend like my voice isn't wavering.

I could be making a mistake.

But saving Mary is all that matters right now, and if that means selling my soul to a Demon, I'll do it.

Arkyn turns to stare at me. "Why not?"

"I feel more comfortable here, in my own home." I motion at the door, toward my apartment.

It's not safe from Keo, obviously. There is no way I'm going to tell the Noble's, though. They won't understand why I need to do this, why Mary is so important to me.

And if all they are willing to do is lock me up rather than actual protect me, then how can I trust they will be willing to find a cure for Mary?

"What? Come on Tove, we should go where we know we will be safe," Mary insists.

"I don't think it's necessary...I mean, I doubt he's coming for me," I excuse, stumbling over my words.

Dax narrows his eyes. Did I just give myself away?

"You cant be sure. We can keep you safe with us," Dax assures me, rubbing the crease between his brow. He's frustrated, trying to bargain with me.

"Will I ever get out again?"

Arkyn rolls his eyes, not as interested in coaxing me. "Of course. This will only be temporary, until we can find Keo and apprehend him."

"What if you never do?" I know they are powerful, but Keo had enough confidence to sit a couple walls away from them, not looking concerned once that they were nearby.

The Noble's exchange a glance.

"We will," Arkyn affirms quietly.

"Can you give me some time to think about it?" I don't need time, I need to run. I need to get as far away from this Territory as possible, until there is only one person who will be able to track us down.

"We need to leave tonight, I'm afraid. You are not safe," Dax reminds me, folding his arms over his chest.

I glance at Mary, who looks utterly terrified. "Alright then, tonight it is."

Dax reaches a gloved hand out at me, smiling softly. "Excellent. Shall we?"

"We will meet you downstairs. I need to speak privately to Mary about something." I motion stupidly at my friend before rubbing the back of my neck.

It's hard to lie to Noble's, but consequences be damned...

Dax sighs, pushing Arkyn toward the door. "Don't be long."

I watch them depart, ducking their heads under the threshold of the door. Not a single word passes my lips as I wait until I'm sure they have scaled down at least one flight of stairs.

"Are you still sick?" I turn to Mary.

She flinches. Now that the thought has been put into my head, it's obvious she is. How could I have missed it?

"Wait...What?"

"Are you sick again?" I demand. She's not going to argue out of this one.

She rests her palm against her heart, a distraught look in her eyes. "How did you know?"

My breath comes out shaky. Keo is right, he knew all along, and now the truth binds us to him. If the diagnosis is the same, then no doctors will be able to help us, which means magic is the only answer.

"We need to leave," I tell her, grabbing her bags off the floor. "We need to get out of here."

"We are going with the Nobles..." she breaks off, watching me charge around the room, shutting all of the lights off me. We don't have much time before the Noble's lose their paitence and come back up here.

"If we go with them, we will never be free again. I think we can take the train from here, straight to another Territory, where we can hide," I tell her, dragging her bags to the door.

There is no ideal Territory to end up in. This entire situation isn't ideal.

Whatever train is leaving the station first when we get there is the one we are getting on, regardless of where it takes us into the vast lands that expand far beyond our Territory.

Whether we stay where we end up is another question. Keo will catch up to us soon, and what he has planned after that...

I don't want to think about him right now.

"The Demon will kill us," she hisses, pointing at the window as if he dwells in the darkness beyond.

I follow where she points, seeing our reflection in the window. We both look terrified.

"I don't think he will. Do you not want to be free?" She hates confined spaces. She hates her this stuffy apartment. And with her being sick, she is going to want to live, over spending the rest of her days locked away with Noble's.

As handsome as they are...

She digs her hands into her dark hair. "Maybe, but-"

I stalk over to her, grabbing her shoulders. She's trembling beneath my touch, so frail and unwell.

"You trust me, don't you, Mary?" I hold her gaze. Beyond her terror, I know she sees me. I've never steered her wrong before, not since I met her when I first moved to this city.

Her gaze softens. "Of course I trust you."

"Let's take your things, and get to the train station," I encourage.

I can't tell her about my deal with Keo yet. If I do, she's not going follow me out of here, as she has never liked me doing more for her than I need to.

I'll tell her...just not yet.

"What about our lives here?" She gestures around the apartment, at the life she has made. I want to tell her we will come back, that soon our lives will resume.

But I know in my heart that isn't true.

"They are over..." I murmur.

She breathes in deeply, shakes her head a little, and nods one. Whatever false determination she has filled herself with is going to have to hold out until we are on the train.

Grabbing her backs, I sling one over my shoulder while she grabs the other.

We head down the stairs, winding all the way down until we are on ground level. Grabbing Mary's hand, I lead her to away from the front door to the back.

Bursting through the door, we step into the dark alleyway, an onslaught of rain drenching us immediately.

"Of all nights, did we really have to do this where it's raining?" Mary questions, holding the back over her head as we make out way to the road.

Thankfully the station is close, and the streets are quiet at this time of night.

"Hopefully it will make us harder to track," I mumble, glancing over my shoulder as if the Noble's may emerge from the shadows to claim us at any moment.

Or worse, Keo may.

We break into a run, shoes splashing in puddles as we cross the road and slip into another alley. I could transport us with my meagre powers, but the Noble's could easily sense my power.

Once they figure out we aren't in the room, it won't be difficult for them to figure out where we have gone...we just need to get there first.

Mary is breathing heavily by the time we make it to the station.

I take the bags from her, the straps over my shoulders while I purchase two tickets for us. Mary keeps her eyes pinned out onto the street, anticipating the approaching figures appearing from nowhere.

I wrap my fingers around her cold ones and lead her onto the nearest train. We choose the both down the far end, keeping out heads ducked behind the window while we wait for it to depart.

There are a few figures on board, each paying us no more than a quick glance. Most of these people are running from something too.

Why else would they be on a train to nowhere at this time of night.

It's not nowhere though. This train is the last one leaving tonight, and it's heading straight to Territory Seven.

It's not ideal...In fact, it's terrifying.

The entire Territory is made up mostly of a vast tundra. It's not as civilised as here, which makes it easier to hide.

Mary peels her jacket off her wet skin, draping it over the seat.

"I can't believe we are doing this," she mumbles lowly, gaze tracing a single drop of rain trailing down the window.

"As soon as we get settled wherever we end up, we are going to get you help for your sickness," I assure her.

Will Keo be there when we arrive? Or is he already here?

The hair's on the back of my neck stand up. I get the feeling that he is close, that he is watching us walk straight into his trap.

Mary bites down on her lower lip, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. "I'm sorry for not telling you, Tove...I just didn't know how to say it."

I could never be angry at Mary. Especially not now, with her black hair plastered against her cheeks, eyes gaunt.

"All that matters is that we are going to get you help. Got it?"

My voice breaks a little. She came so close to death last time, it was a miracle she survived. Now, I don't think she is going to be so lucky, which makes me feel as though maybe this is the right decision.

If Keo kills me for it, I don't care.

Mary draws her knees up, resting her chin between them. "I don't think it's possible this time."

"It has to be," I whisper.

The train suddenly jolts to life, slowly starting to move. Slowly but surely, the tension starts to dissolve from my body, my heartrate finally slowing.

We are getting out of here. We did it.

"Do you think the Noble's will track us down?" Mary asks, looking out the window as we exit the station. We have to wind through the Territory One city before we can make it out of the desert.

I shudder, and not just because I'm soaking wet. "Hopefully not."

She frowns. "I hope Keo doesn't hunt us."

My attention tracks up over her shoulder. There are two others in our carriage, with the one right at the end catching my eye.

He wears a dark hood, gloves and lounges casually in his both, black boots propped up on the table.

My heart skips a beat.

Slowly, he lifts his head, his face becoming visible. It is Keo, staring at me with that predatory gaze, seeing something in me that he wants beyond anything else.

A smile touches his lips, and he winks at me.

Winks.

I look away quickly before Mary can notice my distraction.

"I get the feeling he isn't done with us yet," I murmur.

💜••💜

~Midika 💜🐼