"Mister Elias, Reynar's down there with, well, Silas," Vikot labored with his breath, "and he says our group has to leave, including your niece, I can help her. I have to, we have to go." The older gentleman gave him one nod and looked to the apothecary, then to the door. "Take her boy, and be careful. There will be more of them.
Always more of them. Remember we all did what we thought was best." What have they all been hiding from us? What did they do? No, no time for that now. Viktor made as if to stop Marialena's uncle as he passed, but let his hand fall instead, shaking his head. No time to ask. Hurrying to Mari's side, he breathed a sigh of relief at her fully awake and even struggling to sit up. "Mari. Wake up. We're leaving."
She let out a series of feeble groans as if she were caught in a nightmare.
"Mari, we have to go. Please wake up," he began to shake her as gently as he could, grimacing at the bruises on her face. "Mari, please." She groaned again, then expelled a quick breath, sitting up. "What?" Her voice was that of someone who had been deprived of water for days and he handed her a glass that had been left on the rough-hewn bedside table, watching her drink it down. "Those men are back and they're after us. We have to go. The others are on the way."
When she simply stared at him in response, he repeated what he'd said, though she cut him off mid-sentence, her emerald eyes flashing their usual, considerable flame.
"Yes I heard you wolf, we should hurry." Her hair was wildly out of place, but her eyes remained focused on him, betraying an inner strength, as he helped her to her feet. Although she wobbled like a child taking its first steps, she eventually managed to stand on her own. That's a miracle, given what happened. He saw her on the edge of the woods one again, lying face down, in a pool of blood and shaking himself, he turned back to her as she fixed yet another steely gaze on him.
"Wolf, are you going to help me or what?" Mari swayed on her feet, and he jumped, placing an arm around her shoulders, then leading her towards the door and swiftly down the stairs. Terrible sounds rushed up to meet them. Blades meeting blades. Chaos. Death.
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