The impact ignited white-hot pain that quickly engulfed her entire body. The tiny vial she had desperately clung to fell haphazardly from her hand and was immediately swallowed by the heavy mud. Nev’s eyes followed its descent for a moment, but her heart sank as she lost track of it. She tried to focus her mind as she had before to suppress the agony.
This time, however, the searing misery racking her body refused to be subdued. Despite her most valiant efforts to regain her footing and flee, Nev slumped to the ground, her senses muffled by the burning pain emanating from her shoulder. Stand! You are no one’s prey, she berated herself. While her words echoed in her head, she attempted to push herself onto her feet—one last time. The effort caused Nev to groan in agony, leaving her to rely on her willpower alone to get her feet back under her.
Even through her muted senses, she could hear the heavy footsteps of the enforcer growing closer, along with others scrambling in the background now as well. Perhaps the sounds were from unfortunate bystanders rushing for safety, or maybe his calls for reinforcements had been answered. Either way, they were a threat. She drew her dagger from her belt and tried to focus her mind. I will make you fight for every piece of me you take, she silently promised herself. Then she waited for her fate to finally ensnare her. The fate she’d been running and hiding from for her entire life.
A man had heard the scream originating from the marketplace as he headed towards home. Only moments earlier, he had collected his satchel from the dead drop. The man could hear his sister’s voice scolding him in his head. Don’t involve yourself. If I find out you did something stupid and got yourself hurt while I am not there, I will kill you! He was inclined to humor his sister tonight. Feeling exhausted, the thought of a warm and dry bed was more than a little appealing. I think I’ll let you have this one tonight, sis, he said as he continued on his way for a few moments.
Then he saw her. The woman was undoubtedly the focus, if not the cause, of the commotion in the market. She had, a moment before, rounded a corner and almost stepped right onto a poor dog that was in the wrong spot at the wrong time. The dog she’d managed to avoid but had crashed into a nearby home as a result. He expected her to pop back up instantly and to continue fleeing the scene. Instead, she slumped to the ground. She had certainly hit the wall hard, but it should not have been enough to incapacitate her in any way.
As he watched her struggle to stand back up, he heard the familiar sound of an enforcer coming down the alley towards them. The man also sensed something else, a menacing figure approaching from the side alley. If they were who he suspected, then they did not wear the intimidating and substantial armor of their compatriot but were even more dangerous.
Watching her struggle, he couldn’t help but be reminded of his sister. He’d often wished that he could have intervened or a kind stranger would have stepped in to help her, but neither had happened. He couldn’t let this woman be taken to suffer the same outcome—not when it was within his power to help her.
The man sprang into action and sprinted towards the struggling woman. She had managed to get back on her feet by the time he reached her, but it was clear she was still grappling with the effects of the impact. The apartment he was renting was only a few doors down from where she now stood, and he raced towards her. He stopped just a foot shy of her and only inches from her dagger, only realizing it was there a moment before he would’ve impaled himself upon it.
“I am no one’s prey,” Nev insisted. Her voice was sincere but strained by pain.
“Good to know,” the man responded with a small smile.
“I can kill the enforcer, and I can kill you,” she stressed, her voice saturated with desperation.
“I don’t doubt it. But we are not the only ones lingering near curfew,” the helpful bystander stated, before pausing a moment. “I’m almost certain there is a prowler, and they do not fall easily. We need to leave now. How about you lower the dagger and let me help you out of this mess?” the man proposed.
Nev sighed and stared at him for a moment. He was close to her in age and had sandy blonde hair that was matted down along his brow from the constant rain. Studying him quickly, she was instantly drawn to his amber eyes. She’d never seen eyes that color before, and she found herself staring at them longer than intended. Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, she lowered her gaze and dagger before nodding.
He quickly wrapped an arm around her and ushered her inside his apartment, which was fortunately very close by. Once inside, he gently set the woman down on a chair and turned to immediately lock the front door. An enforcer would have no difficulty breaking through the door. Still, an unlocked door after curfew would raise suspicion, and he was hoping their hasty withdrawal from the alley had gone unnoticed. Perhaps the enforcer would only check his front door and be satisfied enough to move on.
Nev’s eyes darted around the room. As she heard the door lock click into place, a shot of anxiety pierced her pain fogged mind. I have made a colossal mistake, she thought.
The man, with the most immediate danger briefly subdued, turned his attention to the woman from the alley.
Nev felt his eyes studying her. Before he could say anything,
