THE WARD

We part ways on a far too cheery note to be genuine. Climbing out of the car, I relinquish the unease that has settled over me due to my conversation with Lavinia and remind myself that I'm closer to accomplishing my dream than I've ever been. It will take some time, but the wheels are in motion and that is what matters. After a somewhat busy day, I decide to take a stroll through the town centre and buy some things that I desperately need. Even with the threat of Micah behind me, I still feel the telltale sign of someone's eyes on me. The hairs at the back of my neck stand at attention while my skin begins to tingle, goosebumps rising on the exposed skin of my arms at the impending danger. It's just one of those primal instincts that you can't quite explain, but they are there, and if you voice them, you sound completely cuckoo. That feeling stays with me throughout my stroll through the centre as I slink in and out of the shops. What Ava said to me comes to the forefront of my mind. At the time, I thought she was just playing mind games, but as I step into yet another store, that feeling follows me more closely than my own shadow. Without looking too conspicuous, I try to find the person in the crowd, but sadly, with so many bodies crowding the town centre, it is hard to pinpoint the intruder. Mason would have found the person, no doubt, but unfortunately, I don't have his tracking skills. Picking up the dress that I've been staring at for the past fifteen minutes while I covertly look for my stalker, I head towards the register. The cashier greets me, but I only manage a meek nod and a smile in return as I keep searching the crowd for the mystery man or woman. When the cashier tells me how much it costs, I rifle through my purse for my wallet while from the corner of my eye, I survey the passing people outside the shop. It happens too fast to be sure, but my eyes snag on a man I've seen before. Just as he peeks around the corner, a rogue glare of the sun makes me squint my eyes. When I open them, he has vanished. I throw the money on the counter, nab the dress, and start after him even though I have no idea where he went. "Miss your change," the cashier shouts after me while I emerge onto the narrow alley and frantically search for him through the sea of people. "Keep it," I shout back and head for the building that he was leaning against mere seconds before. I step onto the narrow alley, just wide enough to fit a person, while I keep looking over my shoulder to see if somehow he's managed to round the building and get behind me. Vaguely, I remember him. I've seen him before, and this encounter feels a lot like déjà vu, but my instincts tell me that I'm right on the money. Whoever he is, he is real. I emerge on the adjacent street, huffing and puffing, but there is no trace of him. It could be Balthasar. He is the only one who can appear and disappear out of thin air, but he wouldn't avoid me. We've already spoken; it would make no sense for him to just show up in a crowded market. Just as the sun touches the horizon line, I decide that searching for him is a waste of time. He found me before, and he will find me again. And when he does, I'll be ready. I slip into one of the bustling cafes, elbow my way through the crowd, and head to the bathroom. As I've discovered, if there is a door, it is much easier to create pathways to travel. Shutting the cubicle door behind me, I focus on the loft, which sadly doesn't have a door but a hatch. But I think I can make it work. It takes a little refinement, but eventually, I managed to create a clear pathway. Since the distance is so short, it is a matter of taking a breath and letting it out to travel that distance. Yanking the door open, I'm greeted by a familiar window in the ceiling, and since I would technically emerge from the floor, I have to be careful. Gravity is a bitch sometimes.

After throwing my bags first, I decide that the best way to proceed is to climb. I hope that no one decides to visit me, because they would get sucked in and find themselves in a bathroom. And I'll have a really hard time explaining that to someone who has never dealt with my kind. As soon as I drag myself fully onto the floor, I watch with detached amazement as the hatch materializes in front of me and becomes solid once more. It still feels surreal how far I've come in the past six years when I thought I was losing my mind. With a huff, I push myself off the floor, ready to unpack the shopping, get some grub into my rumbling stomach, and rest for the evening. Even though it's training night, I haven't been since before we went to Gallassos. Sometimes I find myself missing those gruesome hours in his company, even when Eric chaperoned us like we were children. At the sound of a tap on my window, my head whips up, finding Mason crouching over it and looking down into the loft. It's dusk now, and the little lamp provides little to no light in the loft but enough to navigate my way through it without stubbing my toe.

Pushing the window open, I look up at him and find him grinning, "My, my, twice in a day. I must be special," I say sarcastically while I turn around to finish unpacking.

"You are. You know you are. Whatever game you are playing, I'm not it," he matches my tone as he walks to the table and plops himself in the seat.

"We have a problem," he says soulfully.

"Well, ain't that the cherry on top of my day."