My Inner Demons (if it was continued...)

Chapter 12: Ephemeral

Recap...

He cuts me off as he goes to hold my hand in his, "You're not getting between anything. I want this. I want you. This is actually the first time I wanted anything this badly."

...

Suddenly, he raises my hand up to his lips. Placing a delicate kiss on my knuckles as he keeps eye contact. His eyes, sharp yet warm, a sapphire blue that felt so enchanting with every glance- it felt like he was staring into my own heart as I felt myself heat up at the sight.

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It had been a peaceful couple of days in our little hideout. Hidden behind- what the others called- Minshe City, the city of the undergrounds. Since my incident with one of the other "resident," the boys decided to warn me of the rest of the inhabitants. A city of thieves and killers. Well, wish I had know that sooner.

Because of that incident, Asch had assigned Pierce to be my full time bodyguard- alongside our training of course. Although it's been a peaceful couple of days, I couldn't lie it's been boring. Falling under the same routine: wake up, eat, train with Pierce, learn a bit of magic with Rhys, eat, and sleep. Nothing different, nothing new.

Maybe that's why this morning came to me with such shock as I was shook awake. As my eyes fluttered open, I could see Leif hovering over me- taking me by surprised- he looked panicked. At first I thought it was a dream, his lips mouthing words that I couldn't yet comprehend or hear for that matter. But I was quickly shook to my senses when I heard it. That ear piercing scream.

"Ava! We need to get out of here!" I finally heard him exclaim. His voice was panicked, and his body pale.

I sit up quickly, looking around to see Noi and Rhys hurriedly packing and destroying things. "W-What's going on?" I ask before looking back at Leif, "And when did you-?"

"There's no time!-" I hear Rhys cut Leif short as he looked over to us, "We got everything! We have to go now-" Rhys is cut off by that same mortifying scream, all of us looking towards the door in horror. What is going on outside?

Without given time to process, I feel Leif pull me by my arm as he quickly drags me out of bed and alongside him- the two of us quickly following behind Noi and Rhys.

We run out the door, and that's when I see it. The city of thieves and killers was being burned at it's core. The houses and stalls were engulfed in the red raging flames, and the residents held still by blades and swords of knights, or trapped under the burning rubble.

My eyes widened. "Are those..-"

"Palace guards" Leif scoffs under his breath as he continues to guide me up the cave. My body flinched at every scream that echoed the cave walls. "Someone sold us out" He said as he clutched his head, groaning from pain.

"Leif..." I uttered, concerned

He looks over at me for a moment, "Not the time- we need to get out of here" He said as he tightened his grip on my hand.

I followed the boys as they dragged me out of the inferno previous known as Minshe City. My thoughts were filled with questions that begged to be answered. And as more questions continued to overwhelm me, I looked between us all, counting.

1...2...3...4...

"Where's Asch and Pierce?!" I exclaim as I pulled back, causing the others to come to a halt.

"They're covering our escape" I heard Rhys answer blankly as we stood at the entrance of the city. My eyes widened as my fists tightened. "Don't worry they'll-"