Unknown L (Book 1)

~~ Who? What? Why? ~~

Bryce's expression turned blank for a few seconds, and then he smiled. "Yeah, we should. Nice to see you getting into the swing of things. Okay, you go inside and get your stuff, I'll go and get my bag, then meet you out back in ten minutes."

L nodded and headed inside, and Bryce wandered off around the side of the house. L pondered where he might have left his bag while she ran upstairs to her bedroom.

She noticed immediately that someone had been in there. Her bed had been ruffled, and things had been moved from where she kept them. It seemed like someone had been in there looking for something. L wasn't sure what it could be. Everything she held dear was either with her or hidden in a loose panel at the back of her wardrobe.

And that was the first thing she reached for. She pulled out the baby blanket she had been placed in by her parents all those years ago. She had managed to keep it with her through every foster home she'd been in. She felt more connected to it now after Bryce's account of how her parents had left her.

She hadn't realised until that moment that she believed the things he said. Her parents had been heartbroken to leave her, and her wish to find them was only growing stronger.

She packed up the few clothes she liked into a backpack with the blanket and a few trinkets from Robbie and his family on her 'birthday'. She didn't know when the actual date of her birth was. The orphanage had given her the date they had found her on their doorstep, and it just stayed on her records through all of her foster homes.

She moved to pack the rest of Mrs Worcester's cookies, except for one, which she took into Lewis' room. Somehow, she knew she'd never come back here no matter what happened when she went with Bryce. She placed the cookie on Lewis' bedside table and walked out, down the stairs and through the kitchen.

She walked towards the back door, unlocked it, and opened it carefully. The back garden was just as pristine as the front. Nothing was out of place, and she spotted Bryce instantly. He was standing at the end of the garden, tapping his wrist and looking at her with a smirk. She rolled her eyes and walked out, closing the door quietly behind her.

She walked down towards him while putting her bag on, "You haven't been waiting that long. I had a few things to grab."

"Alright, relax, I was just lightening the atmosphere. Things aren't going to be very fun for the next few days."

"A few days? Where are we going?"

"Yeah, it takes that long... and it's nowhere that's written on any map, but it will be worth it. Trust me."

L didn't trust him, but she was willing to go with him, so that was a start. She watched him pick up a black duffel bag and gesture to the fence with his free hand.

"I have a feeling you can climb this no problem, but I'll ask anyway, need a hand?"

L shook her head and moved over to the fence, reaching up and pulling herself over it with ease. She was straightening her clothes when he hopped over after her. She listened to his landing but he still didn't make a sound. She was about to mention it when he held a hand up to silence her and scanned the street quickly. Every muscle in L's body tensed. She couldn't see or hear anything untoward, however.

Bryce lowered his hand after a few seconds and shook his head.

"It's fine, just a Nymph passing through the next street over... but yeah, that's pretty much how our journey is going to feel most of the time, jumpy and nerve-wracking. One thing you just need to remember is that I will protect you from anything that gets too close, whether it tries to take you or hurt you."

L widened her eyes. She was curious about the Nymph, but it was Bryce's attitude that shocked her the most. She'd never had anyone talk about her like that.