Kingdom of isolation - you can't hide

Twenty ~ Aurora

Aurora

Age 19

Over the years, I've resorted to placating myself just so I could avoid spending one too many nights wide awake regretting what could have been. I have to accept the things beyond my control and can't afford to be reckless when I know how much faith my uncle has put in me—not that he had much choice in the matter—to let me get this far. Yesterday, I was merely thinking about taking a break because I was kind of unsure whether I should stay or not. But tonight, all of my doubts have been confirmed. Fears have been amplified as I recognise the danger lurking in every corner. I can feel it within my vicinity as if I've developed a sixth sense. So, when my instincts are telling me to run for my life, I will run for my damn life—no questions asked. It also helped immensely that Uncle Noah was able to make contact with me earlier tonight so I really have zero excuse to loiter around any longer. I would have left sooner if I didn't promise the girls a night out, or whatever it is we just did at Club Hades—0 out of 10, would not recommend going there. Call it being selfish or ignorant, but I just wanted one more night with my friends before the illusion broke. And now that it has, I am out of here.

It's okay, it'll all be okay. Maybe one day things will be different. Like a mantra, I keep repeating it in my head as I run like my ass is on fire. It was pretty crappy of me to just abandon the girls but I didn't exactly have a choice. Club Hades and hotel Cerberus are a good 20 minute brisk walk and I cut that into half with my sudden superspeed. The longer I stay here the more hesitant I'm likely to become. I cannot afford that. I rush into the hotel with barely restrained breaths, nearly knocking over the luggage porter and apologising profusely. The thing about having lived this life for as long as I have, I'm always prepared for cases of emergencies. I carry light, only the essentials stay and the rest gets discarded. I wouldn't have come back into this death trap if my belongings weren't inside since I'm not fond of leaving any traces of myself behind. Anything that could lead back to me needs to be either forsaken or taken with. Since I arrived here with only my essentials, it won't take me long. I think.

But as I'm about to make way toward the staircase, I bump face first into another wall and nearly collapse into myself like a slinky before a warm hand on my lower back steadies me, holding me tight. Even with my face mask, the familiar scent manages to seep through it and instantly puts me on edge, an icy shiver cascading through me despite the warmth radiating from this wall. Oh, god. It's him. He's the giant wall I just bumped into. Although the smell of alcohol and smoke isn't there anymore, it's definitely him, I can feel his cold, nefarious energy seeping into my bones. How the hell did he get here so fast? I squirm in his hold, refusing to look up at him—afraid he'll be real—and untangle myself from his hold with great difficulty to make a mad dash toward the stairs just as I'd intended. But it's like his palm is suddenly glued to my back and I have to summon my inner strength to wrench away from him. I feel him leaning down and instantly go rigid. Well, this just became a little too real, great work there Aurora.

"You left without answering my question yesterday."

I shiver at his low voice intended to intimidate without even trying, no doubt the main headliner in my future nightmares. This cannot be happening to me right now. Ever since I've had the misfortune of meeting him, things just haven't been going to plan. What is supposed to be a quick getaway now seems like an impossible feat as I'm finding myself using every muscle in my body to detach his arm from myself. He's stronger than I'd thought and I feel like a bird trapped inside a cage, desperate to get out.

"Take a hint, pal." I grunt, pushing him with my remaining strength. His hold loosens ever so slightly and it's now or never. With one final push, I run up the spiral staircase, the bane of my existence right now but also the only thing separating us, and make the terrible mistake of looking over the bannister like a curious kitten. Our eyes connect and time seems to have slowed between us just as it did yesterday, midnight eyes hold me hostage. Like a void, the darkness in them takes my breath away and causes my knees to buckle. I barely manage to avoid tripping over my feet in the process. Underneath the bright lights, he looks lethal with his head tilted in that eerie way, making him look like a predator sizing up his prey. Me. I thought I saw the last of this devil but I was wrong. So wrong. I can't explain how daunting his gaze truly is, it's like he's trying to see right through me and actually succeeding in doing so. His short, inky hair looks a little damp as if he just got out of a shower, loose tendrils framing his forehead as he drags his phone away from his ear. I take in his black three piece suit that looks like it was tailor made just for him. He had time to shower and change?