I walk behind Wren in the tunnel, excited to see Peter once again. I have missed him so much, and the short calls weren't doing us any good.
She stops in front of a door and opens it, revealing a big and long table in the middle, surrounded by many shelf filled with hundreds of books. I immediately spot Peter sitting on one of the chairs around the table and I rush towards him, engulfing him in a big hug.
His chest moves with laughter as he hugs me back just as tight, rubbing my back up and down with his hand before we pull back and grin.
"I have missed you so much." I tell him, sitting down on the chair next to him.
"Me, too, darling." He sighs and smiles at me.
I raise my eyebrows at him with a suspicious smile and ask, "What brought you here?"
"Louis told me everything," He answers and then holds my hand between his. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was going to, I just didn't have the time; everything happened so quickly and unexpectedly." I answer with a sigh.
"Unexpectedly?" He gives me a 'really?' look and I twitch my mouth with a smile.
"I knew the consequences," I reply honestly. "I just never wanted to believe them until they actually happened."
"And now?" He smiles widely.
I let out a breathy laugh as I say, "I'm fucked."
He laughs with me before we both cut it off shortly. I take in a deep breath and look at him before asking, "What did Louis tell you?"
"Everything," He shrugs. "And that you won't let him help you, or anyone in that matter." He says.
"I just don't want anyone to be hurt because of me." I answer, tucking some hair behind my ear.
"Hurt is better than dead, Tallulah," He says. "And I'm sure they're not doing it for you."
"I know, I just—" I start but Peter cuts me off.
"Don't be a victim when you can be a winner," He smiles slightly. "You can win this thing, only if you can help and get help in return."
I take a few second to think about his words. I'm not trying to be a victim, not intentionally at least, I just want my friends and my loved ones to be safe, that's all.
But Peter is right, I should accept the help I'm getting, because it's priceless and I wouldn't want to waste it away. Maybe everything is hard for me now because I'm getting no one's help, and I'm sure that will change once we all work together.
I made a mistake by not accepting the help from the beginning, but I'll take it now because I need it; I need it for the sake of us all, I need it for the sake of everyone's freedom, and I need it for Louis.
I sigh and nod slowly, my lips breaking into a small smile as I say, "You're right, I guess I was just too blinded by the fear of losing someone."
"And that's the worst kind of fear," He replies immediately. "You should know that while you're seeking something, you'll have to sacrifice many things, or unfortunately, someone. It's something that you should accept, because nothing comes easy and if it did, then it won't last."
Nothing comes easy and if it did, then it won't last.
I stick and glue these few words to my mind, engraving them for their importance and their deep meaning.
"Thank you," I say quietly. "Coming to think of it, I actually need your help in something."
"What is it?" He nods immediately, looking too eager.
I scratch my forehead nervously. "Well, it doesn't really have anything to do with... this."
He raises his eyebrow at me in questioning but remains silent, so I take in a deep breath and say, "I want you to do something for Louis."
🕢
Knocking on the door, I slowly push it open before me, Louis, Sir Boyd, Harry and Wren enter. Esme is laying on her bed with her mother beside her, and it's only then that I notice the cuts on her arms and neck and up to her face.
The two women smile gently at us before Siggy nods and leaves the room, leaving us alone with her. Wren and I carefully sit down on either side of her on the bed, while Sir Boyd sits straight next to her head and Louis and Harry stand where they are.
"Three couples in a room," Esme softly and quietly says with a smile. "Talking about powers, eh?"
While we all let out a small laugh, Wren furrows her eyebrows before speaking, "Wait, you and Boyd are... You know what? I shouldn't have asked, I already know."
We laugh again before Louis—surprisingly—speaks, "I don't really know what happened here, but I hope you get well soon."
And that's when I remember that I didn't tell Louis about what happened with Esme yesterday, but how could I? He was and still is sick, we got attacked, I met Peter and here we are; there was no time at all, really.
"Conall attacked her—" I begin to tell Louis but Esme immediately speaks.
"No," She shocks us all by saying. "It wasn't Conall."
We all look at her in disbelief and confusion before Sir Boyd asks, "What? Who was it, then?"
Esme gives me a look for a few seconds that seems to last forever, a look of desperation, fear, guilt and heartbreak.
"Esme, can you remember who was it?" Harry presses, sounding impatient and quite confused, just like the rest of us.
"I'm not sure," She whispers and sniffs. "But he.. he—" She chokes out a cry.
I take a hold of her hand between mines, looking at her comfortingly as Wren asks, "He what, Esme? Can you remember anything about him?"
As another choke comes out, the tears fall on her cheeks as she says, "He sounded like... Wren, h-he sounded like your... like your father."
If words can kill, I'm sure everyone in this room would have been dead by now, but not me; I know the truth, and I saw Ragnar with Conall, and it's not hard for me to believe Esme.
However, I cannot deny that I'm shocked, because yes, Ragnar might be obsessed with the pure race and yes, he is on Conall's side, but to have him attack a young woman like Esme? His daughter's best friend? That is shocking and disturbing.
"What?" Wren lets out a laugh of disbelief as she stands up. "What are you talking about? My father would never do such a thing."
"I'm so sorry—" Esme cries as Sir Boyd kisses her forehead and soothes her.
"No," Wren cuts her off, getting angrier and angrier by the second. "You're just confused and you don't know what you're saying."
With that being said, Wren storms out of the room with Harry on her heels. Louis has his lips pursed and eyes, looking absolutely lost and confused, making me wanting to do nothing but to hug him.
I focus on Esme as I kiss her hand and say, "It's okay, Esme, we'll figure it out and everything will be okay."
"I don't want her to be mad at me," She sniffs, wiping away her tears. "I just... I heard him, Tallulah."
"It's okay, baby, I believe you," I soothe her, rubbing her hands. "She's just a little shocked but she'll come around, don't worry."
She nods slightly with a sniff as Sir Boyd brushes her hair away. Looking at Louis, I nod towards the door and he nods immediately. I can tell that he feels uncomfortable and like he's intruding.
"I will come back for you later." I tell her, kissing her cheek before I take Louis' hand and head outside.
"Can't we go back to my apartment? Or your home?" Louis questions, stopping me from walking. "I want to be alone with you and talk."
I smile slightly at him. "Of course, I'll just see what Missy wanted to talk about then we can go home, okay?"
He sighs with a nod and follows me back to the room where Missy was. Just like earlier, the room is filled with chatters and computers. Missy grins up at us from behind the screen and comes over to us.
"Hi, how are you two doing?" She asks, smiling widely. I like that she's always smiling, it takes my mind off of things and relaxes me.
"We're good," I answer her with a genuine smile. "Are we ready to discuss things?"
"Of course," She smirks. "We start soon anyway."
For the next few hours, she shows me and Louis everything on the papers and computers, the plans and the times, who will attack and fight and who will protect and secure.
It's crazy how close we are now to it. Only a few hours left, and then everything else starts; the seeking for equality, justice and freedom.
With each passing moment, my heart shakes more and fills with both; courage and fear. Louis' desperation to join us is maddening, but I keep him out of it. I have other plans for him.
Soon enough, I walk with Louis back to his parlour, talk with him about everything and explain the whole incident with Esme and Wren's father before I kiss him goodbye and thank Liam when he wishes me good luck, and promise him when he tells me to take care of Artair.
On my way back in the forest, I hear the quiet sound of footsteps behind me, crunching the leaves on the ground. My heartbeats quicken, but I remain calm and keep my normal pace while walking, though from the stiffness of my body, I think that whoever's behind me knows that I'm aware of their existence.
Slowly, I place my hands inside my pockets, clutching the object in my hand tightly. Thank Lyara I have it. With each step I take, the person behind me gets closer and nearer.
Abruptly, I stop and turn around, coming face to face with Conall. The moment my heart skips a beat, is the moment he sprints forward and and pushes me on the ground.
My shoulder hits the tree, but when I see him coming towards me, I brush away the pain and get up, immediately dodging the punch that was going to hit me.
"You think you're strong?" He roars, moving towards me again. "You think you can change something?"
I swallow the lump in my throat and breathe in deeply, the anger rising inside of me, along with the courage.
"I can," I reply coldly. "And I most definitely will."
I leave the object in my pocket before I move forward and quickly place my hand behind his head, raising my knee and forcing his head down, making his nose connect with my knee hardly and painfully.
He groans and holds his nose that is now bleeding. I take the chance and grab him by the hair before I forcefully push his head into the tree, making him unconscious in a matter of minutes.
I breathe heavily, my chest falling and rising rapidly as I take one look at him before I sprint off, running as fast as I can to get away from him, but not fast enough to pass the other person.
Falling onto that person, his firm hands trap my body as he breathes in my ear, "Not too soon, Tallulah."
I don't know him. This isn't the same guy who was with Conall before, this is someone new. I try to escape his tight grip, but I can't; he is physically much stronger.
But I'm mentally and emotionally way stronger.
"Filthy blooded bitch." He angrily spits.
Quickly, I roll our bodies over on the dirty ground, making him under me. Without a chance to recover, he throws a punch across my jaw, making it ache, though I have no time to dwell over the pain, so instead, I immediately slip my finger in the brass knuckles knife in my pocket.
As he hits me on the stomach with his leg and swings yet another punch on my face, I fall on the ground, spitting out the blood in my mouth. He takes the chance and straddles my body, holding my jaw firmly in his hands before he swings another punch.
The pain begins to take over my body and senses, with his repeated punches and kicks to my body and face. Finally, he backs away and stands up, making me groan from the pain that hits me suddenly.
Manipulatively, I roll over to my stomach on the ground, groaning and pretending to hold my stomach while I take out the brass knuckles knife, right before he grabs my hair and pulls me harshly up to my feet.
As he begins to turn me around to face him, I hold my left fist with my right hand and elbow the guy painfully in his face with my left arm. Once he takes a few steps back, I swiftly turn around with the knife in the air, slitting the guy's throat.
I gasp through a choked cry as the man falls dead on the ground, his neck gushing out the endless blood.
I have just killed my first person, and I have a feeling that it won't be the last.
(Hi, babes! Hope you loved this, everything starts now so get ready xox Don't forget to vote and comment, love you all x)