1745

~Tove

I wait only a moment until my feet are touching the fluffy snow outside the chalet before I'm running inside.

Slamming the door closed, I lean against it, calming my breath.

I half expect to hear a knock, or to feel the door being kicked down by the strange man with dual coloured eyes. Him running into me was obviously no accident...

Rushing through the house, I ensure every door and window is locked. I'm assuming that man had magic, which makes this pointless, but I feel safer this way.

"Tove...You've returned."

I turn around to see Keo lingering in the entry to the living room. He's home from his investigation into Vail's death, which couldn't be more of a relief.

Any fear about being followed back here vanishes. No one would dare tempt an altercation with Keo.

"I went to groceries." I tell him. He frowns, looking down to my empty hands. I must have dropped them somewhere in my attempt to get away from the strange man.

I quickly tuck my hands behind my back. "I mean, I got them, but now they are gone."

"What happened to them?" He questions warily. He looks on the brink of confusion and suspicion, wondering why I'm so flustered all of a sudden.

"I must have dropped them."

I feel so stupid. They must be splattered across the street in the village, stealing away my chance to cook dinner tonight like I planned. I even hoped Keo would be back in time for my once in a lifetime attempt to cook.

"Is everything okay?" He takes a step toward me.

"A man spoke to me while I was down in the village. He was wearing a mask and he knew my name." I shudder, the image of those strange eyes burned in my consciousness.

A mask of concern falls over his face. "What did he look like?"

"From what I could tell, he had black hair and one black eye and one violet." I touch under my own eyes, fighting off the nausea.

Keo grimaces, digging his hands into his hair. "Shit."

"What is it?"

He stares at me for a long, thoughtful minute while my mind conjures up all sorts of reasons for Keo's sudden shift in mood. My description of the man clearly triggered some memory.

"We need to get out of here," he mutters, pacing back and forth in front of me.

I frown. How serious is this?

"Give me a number," he commands.

My mouth opens and closes. Keo not only knows who this is, but also sees their presence near us as enough of a threat to chase us off to another location.

"Twenty," I decide.

"Lower."

"Uh nine?"

He tilts his head to the side, nose curling up at my choice. It dawns on me that he is asking me to pick a Territory to go to, and from what I know, Territory Nine doesn't have many nice places to reside in.

"Not my first choice, but it will do," he mutters.

I go to protest as he grabs my arm, wanting to take my time to pack my things, even though I know his magic can summon them later...

It's too late, though. The familiar feeling of being whisked away into darkness overcomes me. I squeeze my eyes shut, not fighting it until my feet touch the ground and I tentatively open my eyes.

We are in an old shack with small windows and peeling paint. Almost everything is shoved into one area, including the kitchen, living room and an old bed shoved into the far corner. I assume the bathroom is behind a small door near me.

Approaching the window, I note the dull landscape outside.

"Let me guess, Territory Nine?"

"It's not pretty, but most of the Territory is abandoned. We should be safe here," Keo assures me, standing at the window as well to peer out.

There isn't much to see. Just a greying mud slope that leads down into a swampy marsh. From what I know, most of the Territory was decimated from a brutal war. Most of the survivors were chased away while only few remained to slowly rebuild.

"So I'm assuming you know this man who spoke to me."

Keo rubs the back of his neck uncomfortably. It's making me nervous knowing he is uncomfortable with the proximity of who this man is. The Noble's in all their power didn't faze Keo in the slightest.

"Unfortunately I do, and him knowing about you is not a good thing," he tells me, wandering to the kitchen. He tests the tap but no water comes out.

I wrap my arms around myself. "He told me to stop using my powers...he said he hopes he will never see me again."

Our exchange didn't feel particularly aggressive or intimidating. It is the vibe that has come off him that frightened me the most.

Keo goes silent for a second, choosing what information he wants to impart.

"His name is Relm, and he acts as a guardian for all realms, including the one I am hoping you will take all the Demon's to," he explains.

My eyes widen. "Oh...really?"

Of all explanations for who that man is, this is the one I expected the least. I didn't know of other realms until I met Keo, so I suppose I wouldn't know about a guardian for those realms either...

Whatever that means.

"That's how he knew your name. He knows a lot." Keo massages his brow, trying to rid of the stress lines that have taken up space on his forehead since I brought Relm up.

"Why does he want me to stop using my powers?" I question.

"I used to travel freely between realms until it caused problems. Relm himself forbid me from travelling, which is why I need you to complete my task," he tells me slowly.

I let out a long breath. It never made much sense to me why Keo couldn't just do what I am doing. He's clearly very capable of it, and the Demon's trust him...now I understand.

"What dangers can be caused by me transporting Demon's over there?" I ask warily. Relm suggested to me that people were in danger from what I am doing. How many people and how they are in danger is still lost on me.

Keo waves his hand dismissively. "None that fazes me."

"What if it hurts more people than it helps?"

"Demon's deserve to be free, to be safe," he breathes.

I look into those dark eyes and so much within me is conflicted. I want to be made at him for his perspective, for how black and white everything is to him. How he see's the world though is through the lens he has been forced to look through. It is no fault of his own that he has been subjected to endless trauma on behalf of Angel-bloods.

I steady myself. "I know, but-"

"I'm doing everything I can to ensure this is as safe as possible for everyone involved. I promise you," he insists.

"What if it's too much of a risk?"

Too much of this plan relies on me. I have no idea if I can do this, and if people get hurt from my actions, I don't think I would be able to handle it...

"Vail is dead because an Angel-blood killed him. One by one my people are dying and I cannot sit idly by and let them." His voice raises a little, that familiar passion bleeding into his words.

"I understand that..." I remind him breathlessly.

"If this is too much for you, Tove, you can step down from your training," he offers tightly.

I know he isn't trying to be mean, that this is really a hidden blessing, and yet I can't help but feel hurt.

"And then what? You'll cast me aside?"

I think about going back home to that apartment, trying to move on with my life after being with my mate. Doing so for those few weeks was hard enough...I don't want to relive that.

He frowns. "No...of course not."

"Once I'm no use to you, you'll send me back to my old life to pretend like I won't exist, won't you?" Why are tears pricking at my eyes? They only ignite my frustration more.

He takes a step toward me. "How could you say that? Have I not proven to you how much I care about you?"

"No, Keo. No you haven't," I snap.

Here and there I get glimpses of the man I want as my mate. But far too often I'm reminded of who he really is, and why I should be afraid of him.

"I don't know how to be the man you want me to be. I don't know how to focus as much of my attention on you as you deserve. But when I promise you that I am trying, it is the truth," he breathes, all sense of control slipping from him.

A deep, painful ache gathers in my chest. "That doesn't change who you are."

"I know that." His voice breaks a little. "But I've never tried for someone before. What others think of me has never crossed my mind, and yet you came into my life and here I am rethinking everything."

A tear slips from my eye although I don't swipe it away. I don't know how I should feel. There are so many conflicted feelings within me that need time to be sorted out.

"Keo..." I whisper, trying to scrape together more words, although useless.

Suddenly he grabs me, drawing me in. I don't protest as his lips press against mine, stealing my breath away.

Despite everything, it feels good to be pressed against him, to feel his warmth, the sparks from his skin on mine. Sometimes I just want to melt into him, to be a part of him.

When he pulls away, he rests his forehead against mine, holding either side of my face in his hands.

"I'm going to prove it to you, Tove. I'm going to prove how serious I am about you," he assures me softly.

I want to believe him. Only time will tell.

❤️••❤️

~Midika 💜🐼