A Delicate Web (gxg) | ONC2020 |

14. the end

"I was at a diner with my mother. It ended up being caught in the crossfire between two dark magic users holding grudges against each other, I guess—I don't remember much of what happened, but I'm sort of glad. There was a lot of noise and light and heat and then I woke up in a hospital bed like this." I laugh awkwardly.

Gem's hands are pulling gently through my hair, brushing it off of my face. She's leaned up against me, head resting against my collarbone, arm slung around my shoulders. We're sitting in a bullet train that flies high above Capital, leaving behind streams of glowing blue light.

Her hand flicks down through the chopped ends of my hair. In the train bathroom, a pile of rejected red locks lie curling and wispy on the floor. It won't do for people to be recognizing me yet.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's all good. I guess that sort of fueled this whole thing for me—I was one of the lucky ones in that particular event. I didn't want to let others use that power to hurt people anymore."

Gem's head is warm against my chest as I stare vacantly out of the window across from us, watching the city slip by from above. Skyscraper-sized screens show stills and video footage of my face, of Gem and I standing at the edge of the shattered window, of the massive beast sinking slowly to the earth. When I close my eyes, I can still hear its shrieking, so I reach for Gem's hand, much preferring to focus on the way the pulse in her wrist thuds against my fingertips when I curl my fingers around it.

"Earlier tonight, Capital's own vigilante revealed herself to be none other than Northerns' heiress Maud Freeling. Witnesses confirm her companion to be Gemini Davis, also seen with her at a birthday party thrown in her honour. Current whereabouts of both are unknown."

She's getting tired. I can't exactly blame her. It's nearly three in the morning at this point.

I'm wide awake. I'm too busy contemplating our futures.

All we know is that this train will take us out of Capital. From there, it's out of the country entirely. Leaving behind the borders of the Northerns, the only place I've ever known. There's no way to tell what the future holds for either of us.

"Gem?" I whisper. "What are we doing after this?"

She sighs, nestling closer to me. Her eyes are closed, voice a raspy whisper. "I don't know. We'll figure it out when we get there. You can keep helping people, and I'll keep saving your life."

I smile. "I'm the one who saves you. You're a regular damsel in distress."

She swats my shoulder, then yawns. I slip my hand around her shoulders, tugging her closer to myself and tipping my head back against the cool glass. Outside, Capital flashes by. My city. The city I've protected for nearly two years now.

The city that I don't need anymore, because I have a different means of escape now.

Lights flicker past and aeropods buzz overhead. I rub my thumb against Gem's shoulder, feeling a buzz of magic in the pad of my thumb. The train car rumbles on its holographic tracks as it banks in a swift, left-bound arc.

We're not exactly fugitives, but we're pretty close. Everyone will want to know what happened to me; where I am, what I'm doing. Every next step of our lives is shrouded by uncertainty, and I don't know what our next move will be.

I rest my head against the top of Gem's, feeling the way she shifts as she falls asleep, her breathing evening out, her hands unclenching from my hair to fall limply against my shoulder. I take it in mine, feeling the warmth of her palm.

I've never felt more at ease.