❝Everyone has a way to live with themselves and deal with cruelty. You shouldn't judge a book by its cover.❞ ㅡ Johan
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Chapter thirteen:
PAST
When Galene stepped out of the bathroom, a simple thought crossed her mind upon glancing around the room.
What a mess.
Yet to dry out, blood was smeared all over the ground, and some drops had reached to taint random spots on the walls. Signs of her fight with the Everhart thugs were still fresh, and the smell of cigarettes and sweat pricked the air. Once alive, those men lay now dead on the floor; their features contorted into expressions of pain, shock and disdain.
The bodies would remain like that until time worked its magic on their skin and bones. Then, only the remembrance of the fear carved in their eyes would dwell in her memories ㅡ nothing else.
She held on to that hopeful belief.
Her eyes found Levi leaning against a wall, looking at her from across the room with an expression she was unable to decipher. Normally, Galene would have little trouble reading him; which was quite an achievement, or so Isabel had once said. She could spot his concern in the way his eyebrows pulled together, his displeasure in the slight twitch of his eye whenever someone sneezed next to him, or even the glint of diversion whenever she challenged him.
And there was another expression she had recently caught in his gaze; something that would be haunting her mind had circumstances been different: his darkened pupils would expand ever so slightly, his breathing would hitch...
Desire.
"We can't stay here," she asserted, cutting off her own train of thought and making sure her voice was vacant of any emotion. Averting her eyes from him, she craned her neck and added, "When someone turns up, they will shoot first and ask questions later."
Levi observed her for some seconds, not speaking a word. Even if she had gotten rid of the blood and dirt on her skin, she was still wearing the same clothes; her state would give nightmares to children were she to glance at them.
"These men were here for you."
No answer was given for the following minute, but Galene had flinched. "I know."
Levi only grunted and gave her a look she could only describe as irritated.
"Did they work for Everhart?"
She nodded. Clearing her throat, Galene ignored his intense stare and pulled her hair into a messy ponytail. "This changes nothing; we still have to find those bastards." She paused. "There's someone I want you to meet."
Twenty minutes later, they were standing in front of a house that looked a second from crumbling to dust. Its door was firmly closed, but its walls were cracked and no windows could be seen on its grey surface. And it was small; way smaller than any other structure in the surroundings.
If its slovenly exterior wasn't enough to keep people away, the slouching figure of a cloaked person did.
Galene stepped in front of Levi, who had yet to speak a word and was simply watching her with keen eyes; as though waiting for her to lash out, ready to strike back. Something she wasn't going to do just yet.
She cleared her throat, thus attracting the attention of the ugly man. He lifted his hooded head to glare at her with hollow eyes and a sneer on his dirty mouth. Upon recognizing her, his wrinkled face relaxed into an expression of surprise.
"Back in business, Magnolia?" A couple of dry chuckles escaped him; his body convulsed. "I knew you were too smart to be dead."
Galene peered at her surroundings, cautious. "Is Johan in?"
"He's waiting for you," he replied while putting his long knife out of sight again.
Nodding in understanding, Galene made sure the street was empty before unlocking the door. The inside of the house was crowded with dust, and nothing else.
"What's the meaning of this, brat?" Levi asked while glaring at the vacant space.
"Don't be so quick to judge," was all she said before she strolled towards the furthest corner in the room ㅡ where artificial light couldn't reach to illuminate ㅡ and bent down. Then, she tapped the floor lightly.
Something echoed underneath, causing Levi to approach and look around with wary eyes.
A rustling sound rang from under the wooden planks, before what had been floor in front of her gave a sudden shake. The trapdoor became visible then, and Galene stepped back as it opened.
"Edgar," she started as a familiar face peered over the edge at them. Her eyes drifted to the red mark on his cheek before flickering to his wide eyes. "Were you sleeping again, idiot?"
He only scratched the back of his head nerviously, and then stepped away to let her in. Galene glanced at her friend and nodded, motioning for him to jump through the open trapdoor. Glad no complaint left him, Galene waited for Levi to disappear inside before following after.
ㅡ
Dim light illuminated the way as they reached the bottom of the stairs, and the sight was completely different from anything Levi had ever seen.
A main corridor spread to get lost in the distance, splitting into dozens of thinner passages as it kept on; splintered doors were located sporadically on the walls. Torches shed light to every nook, and a couple of wooden arrows signalled the way towards different parts of the place.
No words were written on them, however. Instead, someone had deemed it smarter to resort to carving drawings into the wood. Considering most of the population couldn't read, Levi thought it was a good idea.
"Galene." She stopped to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "What's this place?"
"Johan will fill you in."
There was a glint in her gaze, a slight shake in her voice as she spoke; and Levi was no fool. She knew more than she let on. But before he could press on the matter, Galene turned left and strolled towards the end of a corridor.
Levi clicked his tongue in annoyance; his patience was running thin.
"Just remember," Galene warned as they stopped in front of a cracked door. "Don't talk about where we've been or what we've done. Johan won't pry, but he's always been too fucking good at reading between the lines. Don't give him a reason to be curious."
He was intrigued, but a flicker of irritation struck his heart. "Do you take me for an idiot?"
Pursing her lips in thought, she looked up to meet his heated gaze. "No. And I know you'd rather get your answers and be done with this damn trip. But understand this, Levi: no matter how our lives are now, everyone has their past."
That said, she walked in.
The room was as small as expected, and the only furniture consisted on a big table and some chairs. A tall man with curly, brown hair stood before the table, studying some documents he had placed upon it.
At the sound of the door opening, however, he looked up and grinned. "G, you took your time. I haven't seen you in ages. And ㅡ wait, whose blood is that?"
Galene looked down at her blouse briefly before smirking at him. "Took my anger out on some Everhart rats today."
Johan stared at her for some seconds, and then he shook his head. "If I didn't know better, I'd ask you to marry me."
Annoyance filled Levi as he stepped in, and he was opening his mouth before he could rethink his actions. "Dying would be less painful."
Galene flicked him off.
"I know you," Johan stated, all traces of joy gone.
His blue eyes narrowed upon clashing with Levi's steely ones, and they stared each other down for long seconds. But suddenly, the man was smirking. "Levi, I'm a big fan. This is... unexpected, though. But it also means Galene has stopped being a stubborn idiot and made some allies."
Levi glanced at said woman, but she only scoffed in response.
"So, what do you think of this place?"
He looked back at Johan and clicked his tongue. "I still have no fucking idea of where we are."
An expression of exasperation crossed his blue gaze as the man sent Galene a look. "You haven't told him.
"That's why we're here," she replied with a shrug, before her eyes darkened. "You can answer all his questions better that I will. But first, what the hell is going on with Everhart now?"
Johan let out a sigh, but seemed to be quite used to her vexatious attitude and made no comment about it. "My only guess is that they're looking for something... or someone." Levi didn't miss the look he sent her. "But it's disturbing. It's not like them to act like this ㅡ so desperately."
Galene puckered her lips. "What are your thoughts on it?"
Levi remained silent, listening and watching her closely. There was something he was missing; she was tense, avoiding his eyes as she bit her lip and fidgeted. Again, Levi was left with the suffocating idea that she was hiding something ㅡ something important.
"They're running out of time," Johan concluded.
Levi frowned. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"Who knows?" her answer came too quickly, too rushed. It was a lie, and she seemed to realize he had caught on by the way she hastily turned towards the door. "Send him to my room when you guys are done bonding, Johan."
Questions assaulted his mind as Galene walked out without another word, and his eyes flickered towards the blond man. Levi didn't know him, nor did he trust him. His loyalty towards Galene was evident; while he has answers, he wouldn't reveal anything she wanted to keep as a secret.
"What can you tell me about this place?" he asked after a minute of silence, choosing his words wisely.
Johan sat down and nodded at him. "It was all thanks to Galene. I still haven't figured out how she even knew it existed, but she won't speak about it. You know her; she doesn't open up easily."
"She's a stubborn brat," Levi added.
The man hummed. "But I'm sure she has reasons to be like that. Anyway, this is sacred ground to us. Galene and I... we made it here after managing to escape from some Everhart thugs. And eventually, she started taking people from the streets; those who were strong-willed, those who knew what it was to lose everything to Everhart and wanted to fight back."
"But a revolution never happened, otherwise I would know."
A smile torn by sadness spread on his lips, and Johan closed his eyes. "You're right. Everhart knew we were planning something, and they didn't hesitate to take down all of those who had any kind of connection with Galene. Fear was quick to change the minds of everyone who had bowed to fight."
Levi crossed his arms over his chest and thought deeply, understanding. "How did Galene take it?"
"She understood. After all, there was never a real plan," Johan explained, and then sighed. "I think that it was for the best. You've seen her; when it comes to Everhart, she loses her shit and doesn't mind going down killing as many as she can."
Bemused, Levi tried to see beyond his words; to find the meaning behind her hatred. But he couldn't.
"One more thing, Levi." Johan stood up and threw him a cold stare. "If anyone has the right to kill Everhart thugs, it's Galene. Try not to pry or judge her actions."
For the following minutes, none of them said a word; Levi was in deep thought, his face stoic but his mind working.
"Prying would be a waste of time."
Johan smiled slightly. "Yet it wouldn't surprise me if she opened up to you." That surprised the shorter man, and Johan seemed amused by his shock. "Don't try to deny it, Levi. She tends to keep to herself, and for some reason, here you are. That's a clear display of trust on her part."
Levi averted his eyes to drift his attention to the door, but words failed him.
"Don't take that for granted, Levi. She cares about you ㅡ it's painfully obvious to me. I can't say the same about you, since I don't know you enough to see it. But if you do and you show her, it could be what makes the difference."
Levi refused to let the emotions that unexpectedly assaulted his heart to show on his face. He quirked an eyebrow at him. "What difference?"
"I've seen her fight when she had nothing to lose. I wonder what she could do if that wasn't the case anymore." Johan waved him out of the room, ignoring the irked glare that formed in his eyes at the gesture. "Keep an eye on her, will you? Her place is only two doors to the left."