Painted Wings (An Anastasia Remix)

chapter five

"—have infiltrated the palace [CRASH]. Code 38-PS. [GUNFIRE] Lockdown now. Repeat, lock—"

—unknown, recovered comm line recording, First Palace

Someone followed her.

Iris tucked her hood closer around her and kept her walk swift, fighting not to adjust her speed as she moved down the quiet street. She tucked her easy-made noodles tight under her arm. Then glanced back.

A woman followed, keeping that same steady pace. She'd have never known she was there if she hadn't spotted the woman hanging out on the bench across from the convenience store when she came out.

It wasn't abnormal to see people wandering the streets this late. After all, there were many people coming home from the bars and late-night parties despite the dark, rain-threatening clouds. East City was a city—rain, snow, or sun, there was always someone awake at all hours.

But she'd never seen anyone sit on that bench. It was an oddly placed bench across from the convenience store. The East City station was just down the street, so most people opted to sit in the park a block away or head down to the station if they were killing time.

The bench advertised a popular music production company based in Sarias: Cavenaugh Productions. The bright Cavenaugh Productions logo swallowed the entire top half of the bench. Iris always thought it odd when advertisers put their logo where Aces placed their butts. So, when she came out of the convenience store and spotted a woman sitting there, she instantly locked on her.

And as Iris walked towards her apartment, the woman got up and followed.

When Iris turned down a side street before her apartment, the woman stayed behind her. She even took an added lap around the block, past the bars and restaurants still open in her neighborhood.

The woman followed.

Iris took a deep breath. Stay calm. Maybe you're just imagining things, she thought. However, when she still spotted the woman two blocks later, she knew for certain.

Her gut screamed at her. Don't let her get you.

Iris lived a quiet life. She had done nothing illegal, hadn't even gone to college, and didn't speak to people outside the Daniels family. She lived an abnormally quiet life. Flew under the radar.

So why was this woman following her? Was this the start of some type of randomized crime and Iris won the "wrong place, wrong time" lottery?

She resisted the urge to throw her noodles in the nearest trash can and run. Instead, she made her way into the restaurant around the corner—a bar & grill that was open until three in the morning. Her steps were forcibly even.