Moira

45.

"An old friend of his?"

My mother's head shot up to level her eyes with Esmond's, a slight furrow in her brows as she took a closer look at the boy opposite her.

"Yeah," She breathed. "Yeah, Chris—"

"Christopher—"

My eyes widened as soon as the realisation hit me. So did my mother's, and so did Esmond's. "You're Chris' boy?" She asked, utter disbelief in her voice as she shot up and walked over to him, hands on his shoulders only seconds later. "Of course you are— look at you." There was a lightheartedness in her voice as she embraced the perplexed boy in a tight hug.

"I'm sorry about what happened—"

The words made Esmond shake his head lightly, bringing some distance between the two. "I don't think we fully know what happened," Esmond explained. "Amidelle said The System thinks he's alive." A small smile tugged in the corners of his lips, one of relief and disbelief alike.

And my mother's breath audibly hitched as she twirled around to face me, tears brimming at her eyes and her brows raised in nothing but hope that the words Esmond said could hold any truth to it.

"That means your father might still—" Her eyes diverted to search for Aude in the room, my sister unsure of how to process the piece of information just like I was. I figured a hug would do for now, and I threw my arms around her to hear a singular, low sob as my mom mirrored my gesture.

The world felt like it was spinning, too many things to process all at once to know what was really going on anymore. At this point, it was more likely to be a fever dream rather than real life.

One in which my father was alive; One in which I didn't have a countdown on my wrist.

A singular tear rolled down my cheek, and the lights of Arcan City turned back on.

I never realised they were still noticeable all the way back here. But they definitely were— and the sight of them made a kind of panic break out in everyone's face.

As everyone fell into a light panic, chatting amongst themselves and probably figuring out what to do, Esmond came up to me, and I asked him the exact same question.

"So now what?" I asked, swallowing thickly. "We're supposed to run? Where? And for what?"

"I don't know."

It was the first time Esmond Terran genuinely and honestly did not know. His eyes darted behind me, and my gaze followed his only to fall on his sister.

"Do you think they're alive? If we... run— would we find them eventually?" No matter how hard I tried to say the words in a tone that sounded calm and collected, my voice was shaky and more of a whisper.

"I can't—" His eyes flickered over to me just for a moment before landing back on Ellis. "I can't leave her—" Ellis' brows furrowed hearing her brothers words, even from a distance.

"Don't," She warned, her finger in the air as she rushed over to us. "Isn't this what you always wanted?" She grabbed his wrist harshly, making sure his eyes were steady on his wrist. "Heaven knows I've tried to get rid of it." A weak laugh escaped her mouth, followed by an equally weak smile on her lips as her eyes flickered in the direction of her own wrist.

"You're sixteen, Ellis. I'm not just gonna up and leave you by yourself—"

"I have Arley," She protested quickly, looking at the blond on the opposite side of the room involved in a conversation with Eniola and — more so — Aiden. And for a second, Esmond's grim demeanour cracked, and his brows relaxed slightly.