Barren Crossroads

If We Should Fall

They went back to the small office and set their spoils next to Lilith, who was sleeping in the chair still. Then, they both went back, sitting next to the big picture windows that faced the street, on either side of the door. "I guess we're keeping watch together?" Jace asked.

"Something like that," Michael said, and he tilted his head back against the glass.

Jace tried to stay awake, but he was asleep so fast he didn't remember closing his eyes. His head was at à painful angle, and his shoulder ached but he didn't notice, and his dreams were jumbled, unable to be remembered. He felt like he'd hardly been asleep at all before Michael was shaking him roughly awake, his head knocking against the window behind him. His eyes shot open, vision slightly blurred, and he coughed.

"What? What the fuck are you doing?" Jace snapped. Michael slapped à hand over his mouth, and Jace considered biting him.

"Not so fucking loud," he hissed. "They're coming. We need to get out, now."

"Who?" Jace asked, and his mind still felt terribly slow, like his thoughts were crawling through honey.

"Ryan's men? Not sure. But they're coming. Look!" He pointed out the window, and Jace got to his feet, turning to look in that direction. He could see the orange flickering of home made torches casting deep shadows all the way at the end of the street.

It was definitely Ryan's men. Jace knew it could be no one else. There was no coincidence that would explain anyone else being this close. "Shit. Fuck, okay. Go. Go, grab her. We only have minutes."

Michael nodded, and Jace followed him through the store on silent feet, and into the office. Jace picked up the bags, and clutched the handle of his knife. Michael scooped Lilith up with none of the gentleness he had before. "What's going on?" she said in à soft and sleepy voice.

"Ryan is coming for us," Jace said shortly, and her eyes snapped open, black and glittering in the low light of the stars that filtered in.

They found the back door, and Jace opened it as quietly as possible. There was still a soft metallic whine from the disused hinges, and he cringed. He stuck his head out the door and checked both sides. He didn't see anyone, and he darted out, holding the door long enough for Michael to slip out with Lilith on his back. They hurried down the back alley, and to the mouth of another street. Jace checked the mouth of each street and they kept moving, across the small town and then heading back south.

Once Michael was sure they'd be out of earshot in case there was à chance it was actually Hunters, he broke into a run, even burdened with Lilith, it was still à fast clip, and Jace took off after him. His legs burned, and his lungs ached but he kept running, and Lilith kept craning her head, trying to catch sight of anyone behind them.

They ran for hours, down à highway that was cracked and full of potholes, until Michael collapsed underneath Lilith and she yelped in pain. Jace dropped his bags near the stone barrier that ran on the edge of the high way, and then jogged back to pick Lilith up and set her on the other side, where they'd be out of sight of the road. Then he helped Michael up and over and fell on the other side, breathing heavily and leaning against Lilith's arm.

"Fuck," he panted. "We must be miles away by now. Do you think they saw us? Do you think they know which way we went?"

Michael shook his head, wiping sweat off his brow. "No. Don't think so."

"Sleep then. We'll need to move again soon."

Lilith's dark head fell on his shoulder, and she was asleep again and then so was Jace, and more thoughts and images tumbled around. Even in his sleep he felt fidgety and uneasy, and only what felt like moments later, it was Lilith's small fingers digging into his arm and forcing him awake. "What now?" he said in à quiet groan.