The Darkest Temptation ✔️

NINE

Word Count: 2027

~Tove

I pace back and forth, watching the sun slowly start to vanish behind the Territory One cityscape.

I'm going to transport myself out of here. I have to. What is stopping me from going right now is Mary.

Leaving her here is the last thing I want to do. She has made it clear, though, that she isn't okay with my idea, and at least her being here will mean she is safe, while I try find a cure through Keo.

A soft knock on my door has me turning around defensively, scowling as Dax opens it.

"What do you want?" I snap.

"I've come to apologise. And talk to you one on one," he says softly.

He has a kindness in his eyes when he talks to me that makes me want to trust him. But no amount of trust is going to change the truth.

Him and all the Noble's stand no chance hunting Keo down.

And even if they did...Mary would die.

"You don't have my respect just because you're a Noble." I fold my arms over my chest, glaring at him. People fall at these Noble's feet because they are handsome and powerful, but they are like any other magic user...

Pretentious and arrogant.

He runs a hand down his face. "I understand your frustration."

"Do you?"

"This is about Mary, your best friend. You are trying to protect her, right?" He asks, tilting his head to the side. I can't tell if he's sad or if he's just trying to reason with me.

Unless he's about to tell me he has a cure for her rare sickness, then nothing he says matters to me.

"Please just leave me alone." I turn back to the window, tapping my fingers impatiently against the sill.

"I need you to understand why I'm doing this."

"Protecting me, right? You don't even know me," I mutter. I never thought Noble's and their undying obsession with this Territory and everyone in it would come to get in my way so much.

He stands beside me, looking down, although I keep my gaze trained out at the darkening sky, wondering how far I'm going to be able to transport myself.

I just need to get myself past the tall perimeter fence.

"Keo is more dangerous then you could ever imagine. He has killed a lot of people, and I'm not going to stand by while he hurts you," Dax explains quietly.

"It's my life, my decision," I growl back. It's my life for Mary's, and I'm okay with that. She is too good, too pure to be taken from this world, just because a Noble thought he could make a decision for me.

Deep down, I know he values my life more than hers. I'm an Angel-blood, like him....

That only fuels my desperation.

"It won't be for long. All my attention is on trying to find him," he assures me. I don't doubt that. I also don't doubt that it's been his main attention for many years prior to this conversation.

"You're not going to find him."

He stares down at me intently. "Why not?"

I laugh quietly, bitterly. "You're predictable, and you're obvious. I get the feeling he's knows your next move before you even do."

He lets out a breath, tiring of trying to reason with me.

"I wouldn't be so certain, Tove."

My eyes narrow. He may have something planned, but so do I.