1537

~Tove

We made it to Territory Seven a couple days later, around midday.

Keo didn't stick around after our conversation, and hasn't shown up since. So Mary and I have spent the two nights curled up on the seats feeling miserable about the entire experience.

Once we arrived, we found a place to stay temporarily outside of the main village.

It's perfectly remote, and we are unlikely to be tracked for a while.

Mary stands at the kitchen bench, staring out the window. "We could have gone anywhere..."

I look down at my coffee. Territory One is a cold, horrible tundra. It stretches endlessly, and there is one way in and one way out.

"They won't think we would come here," I tell her, trying to find a bright side through all of this, even if it's nearly impossible.

Mary has gone considerably quieter over the past couple days. She is still reeling from this, and every other hour she asks me if we made a mistake, if we should have just lived our lives out with the Noble's.

Because how terrible could that really be?

"Yeah, because this place is basically unliveable," she mutters, breathing fogging up the glass. Eventually she sighs dramatically, turning back to face me.

"We will be fine a little while." I rub my hands together, staring at the fireplace.

I wish we had wood to burn. I wish we had warmer coats and some gloves. And I wish Keo would hurry up and get here to explain what he needs me to do next.

She shivers. "What are we waiting for?"

I suck in a breath, considering what I should tell her. She isn't going to believe we are running from the Noble's forever, and since she so willingly came with me, she deserves the truth.

"Keo." I chew on my nail, watching her reaction.

Her eyes widen. "Keo? The murderous Demon?"

I wince. Now I'm not only going to have deal with the temperature outside, but also Mary's cold shoulder once she realises my true intentions.

"I know it's strange, but-"

"We ran away from the Noble's because of that Demon?" She questions, her voice raising with each word.

"I don't trust those Noble's. They would have never let us leave their estate until they caught Keo, and if they haven't done that in decades, they won't now," I insist.

It isn't an unreasonable fear, to be locked away like a prisoner forever. Even if my life has been awfully mundane recently, it doesn't mean I'm not interested in freedom, in living my life how I choose to.

I'll do what Keo wants, and then get on with my life.

"What's the other reason?" Mary demands, folding her arms over her chest, looking angrier than I think I've ever seen her.

"I made a deal with him," I say lowly.

The blood drains from her face. "A deal?"

"If I help him, he will supply you with an antidote....for your sickness," I tell her. Remembering my motivation makes it easier. Mary can be angry all she likes, in fact, she can hate me forever, but at least she will be alive.

"I...What?"

"I know it's strange, and I know you're angry, but I'm kind of freezing, so let's get to finding some wood-"

"You can't do that, Tove! You can't just make that decision for me." She's yelling at me. Quiet, sweet Mary is yelling, and as much as it pains me, I can see the strain on her.

Her sickness is only going to get worse from here on.

"It's done, Mary. And let's not forget you kept your sickness from me," I remind her, forcing the bite out of my tone. I don't resent her for that, but it still hurts.

She shakes her head. "What is his end of the deal, huh? What are you doing for him?"

"I don't know yet. He hasn't told me." I rub the back of my neck, hearing how awful that sounds. Something about travelling through realms, but his motivations for doing so haven't been revealed yet.

"Tove..."

"I know, but I'll do anything to save your life, and before you yell at me, just stop. We need wood for that fire before I lose feeling in my fingertips forever," I tell her, holding them up as if to demonstrate how numb they are.

Mary glances at the fireplace. Even her anger isn't enough to heat her chilled limbs, so shoving the jacket further around her, she nods warily.

"Fine. Whatever, but this isn't over."

***

We eventually find wood at a nearby village, carting as much as we can fit in our arms back to the small cabin.

"It's freezing, I hate this place already," Mary grumbles, dumping the wood in the basket before the fire.

We managed to keep the conversation tame on our voyage, although I could tell from the bitterness in her tone that I'm not going to be forgiven as soon as I would like.

Keo needs to get here, and quick.

"I know, me too. But at least no one will find us here, right?" I say with a shrug, trying to offer her a smile, but she doesn't look at me.

"No one is coming out into the tundra, that's for sure," she mutters under her breath, wiping bits of wood off her jacket.

I kneel down. "I'll light a fire..."

As I do so, Mary stares off out the window, deep in thought. From here, I can see her papery skin, how fragile and thin she looks now. I can't keep a sick woman out here for long.

The fire sparks up eventually, immediately eating away at the paper I had found around the house that I balled up and placed around the wood.

"Do you want me to go down the street and get us some food?" She asks suddenly.

I stare into the fire. "It's too dangerous."

Keo will be here soon. I can feel it under my skin.

"No one knows about me. And what are we going to do, stay here until we starve?" She questions grumpily, glaring at me with more ire than I've felt from her in a long time.

I once took a book from her to read without asking. Apparently she had been reading it and I lost her page. She seemed pretty angry then.

This though...It seems her trust in me has dwindled into nothing.

"I guess not. But if you see Keo, don't stop and talk to him. Come home right away."

She nods once. I would rather let her go now than keep her locked up in here, only getting more frustrated. And night will be drawing close, so we need to fill out cabinets before it's too late.

Mary starts toward the door, but pauses.

"So it's alright for you to talk to him, but not me?"

"I know you're angry, Mary, but I need to do this, to save your life," I murmur.

She throws her hands up. "You can't trust him!"

"I don't trust him, and I never will. But that doesn't mean he can't do this for me," I insist. It's either take the chance on his word, or be left with nothing for Mary.

"He's going to take advantage of you."

I get to my feet, rubbing ash off my hands. "It's not taking advantage if I know what I'm going into."

She rolls her eyes, grabbing the door handle. "I'll be back in soon."

And with that, she strides through the door and slams it behind her.

I release a long, slow breath. Great.

All of a sudden, the fire vanishes into ash an instance. It steals the warmth and light from the room immediately, causing me to stumble back in fear.

"What the-"

A ghost wind seems to gather out of nowhere, flushing ash out from the pit and over the hearth and to my feet.

Frowning, I crouch down, seeing something written in the soot.

Run.

I stare at it, dumbfounded. It's magic, I can tell. It buzzes around me, laying it's strange taste on my tongue.

Is this Keo?

A booming knock echoes on the door.

Glancing between the word and the door, I consider my options. That could be Keo, but the writing could also be from Keo.

It would make sense to run, to head the warning from the unknown source.

I back toward the window, feeling behind me until the sill is in my hand. Someone knocks on the door again, louder this time.

Mary would just come in...the door is unlocked, after all.

Turning the window, I dig my cold fingers under it, dragging it up. Whenever is here wants to hurt me, I can feel it. And whenever they please, they can charge into this house.

And they do, the door knocking open before I can get my first leg out the window.

Dax.

He looks at me with those sad, warm brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Tove. You're going to need to come with me."

🧡••🧡

~Midika 💜🐼