My arms wrap around Zander's neck as he takes flight higher into the sky, flying with a speed even thunderbolts falling on earth couldn't compete with.

"Are the Hell hounds behind you?! Go slow, will you?! Why are you even flying? Why not do the abra dabra teleportation stuff?" I yell whilst the freezing air snapping at my face and my hair falling in front of my eyes.

No matter how irritating the hair blocking my sight is, I don't dare to untangle my arms from Zander's neck and fall to my death again.

A throaty chuckle follows making me feel the vibration from his chest all the way to my body.

"If I knew taking flight would get you in such a colourful mood, I'd have done it long ago. I can't teleport because I don't know exactly how the place we're headed to looks like. Although a 'thank you, handsome' would have sufficed for saving you from the free-fall you know." Zander says, a coy tone lacing his words.

I roll my eyes in response despite knowing he won't be able to see my face due to my cursed hair blocking the sight.

"Where are we even going?" A strand of hair enters my mouth and I stop myself from gagging.

"Somewhere." His nonchalance has my patience slipping.

I unwrap my arms from his neck to swish away the hair from my face and glare daggers at him.

"What do you mean you don't know-ah!!!" A scream at the top of my lungs escapes my mouth as he lets go of me entirely the moment I take my arms off him.

I don't get the time to fret on why he did that.

My heart drops to my stomach as I see land below and my body falling downwards in the similar way back in the clock tower.

Why didn't we have to fly on top of water lands? I'm going to die!

The moment the thought occurs in my mind though, I feel arms wrap around my waist holding me in a floating-in-the-air embrace this time.

Ears drumming, I shut my eyes in panic and wrap my legs around his torso so tight as if my life depended on it.

My heart still drummed in my chest like a frenzy when I heard Zander,

"I just left you for a second so that I could ward away your hair from your face. I wouldn't let you fall." His last sentence was a soft sincere whisper.

He could've just said in a simpler way. Why did he have to pull that stunt?

"I hate you." I grumble but despite my current show of hatred, I couldn't help wrapping both my arms and legs firmer around him like a sloth clinging to a tree.

In my defense, if he decided to drop me down again, I had to be prepared.

A moment of silence passed and I was almost tempted to glance up at his face when a low whisper in my ear followed,

"I rather like this position." I could hear the smugness in his tone as his arm dipped to my lower back pulling me snug against him.

I glared at his annoyingly hard chest but stayed put nonetheless.

Play it cool, Marilla.

Resting the side of my face on his clothed chest, "Then enjoy, love." I mumble in a sultry tone tightening my grip around him.

Zander froze.

But the surprise or shock only lasted for a second before he let out another amused chuckle.

"You're really something. And here I thought you'd be upset after the near death fall." His speed decreased the slightest bit and I was more than thankful for it.

A sudden sadness clawed at the thought of how easily I'd been overthrown so easily earlier just because the illusion was in Layla's form. . .

Letting out a sigh, I gently shut my eyes, "I can't be upset all the time now."

Zander doesn't answer then but I could bet his gaze lingered on my head ever so often. Clinging to him at this position made me realize how dwarfy I am compared to him.

It wasn't like I was short. He was just too tall is all.

After what felt like years, Zander slowly descended on land. At first, I was half-asleep on him but when his breath fanned my ears with a 'Hey, fish. We're here,' I jolted awake.

Unwrapping my arms and legs, I jumped of off him like I've been electrocuted.

Zander all but laughed at it. I didn't have a darn clue why he was suddenly so cheery. My near death might've have been a great delight to him.

Nonetheless, my gaze flickered around to scan the surrounding,

"Where are-" The words stop short on my tongue the moment I spot the very familiar penthouse at a distance.

"No." I took a step back from the cursed place, "Take me back. Why are we even here?"

I attempted to turn around and God knows walk where—maybe somewhere far away from here—when a hand clutches my arm holding me in place.

"Marilla," Zander's voice drawled.

"How the hell do you even know about this place?!" I fumed turning to him.

"I asked Valerian about a place which neither the merfolks nor your sister would ever suspect you to be at. And he informed me of this place. Said they would never think about you staying at this place. That's why it took me time to reach Helvon to get to you. He did mention you wouldn't be pleased to be here though." Zander gazed at me as if he could very well see the last sentence was indeed true.

He was calm though. So very calm and it was irritating me because the chaos wringing inside me at the sight of this penthouse was infuriating.

Valerian. That traitor. I'm going to kill him in his sleep.

"Perhaps there might be a solid reason I don't like it here, didn't you think? Just. . . teleport me back to Seagill's castle." I give him a look when he still doesn't let go of my wrist.

"No."

His blunt answer has me snapping my eyes to him with a glare, "What do you mean 'No'?"

I take a dangerous step ahead but all he does is stare at me strangely.

"I'm not taking you anywhere from here. Your sister is behind killing you and your folks are behind getting you to start a war." He lets go of my arm and crosses his own over his chest, "So you're staying here until they calm the fuck down and not make you sign a death sentence."

"My sister was always behind killing me! It's nothing new! I can't hide here because of that! Either ways, she's in the Black Sea right now. Away from Seagill." I huff at his unreasonability.

"She's not."

"What?"

"She's not in the black sea." He drops his arms and inches closer to hold my shoulders in a firm grip, "Marilla, I don't know how she broke through Helvon's entrance and entered there but if she could do that, then it's dangerous. She's dangerous. You have to defense yourself before facing her. And don't even begin about the merfolks, they're just a bunch of madness seeking blood."

"You think I didn't have centuries to learn how to defense? I know how to protect myself. And nevertheless, Layla wasn't there. It was a shadow creature doing its illusion again." I mumble, staring up in confusion at the sudden concern written on his face.

"It wasn't. The only shadow creature around us right now is Swarovski. His powers are confined within Moonriff Mountain. It was your sister. I know you can take of yourself but you've to be more prepared so that what happened today doesn't repeat. Layla was the one to push you off the clock tower, wasn't she?" His tone drops into a soft one at the last sentence.

I stare mindlessly trying to process his words.

Swarovski must be the shadow creature we encountered a day back. But today it wasn't him?

Something felt hollow in my heart. I'd known there was a possibility it wasn't a shadow creature at first but I didn't want to believe it.

Somewhere, I didn't want to face Layla yet.

That had been her. . .

She'd pushed me off to death. . .

I don't know whether she'd realized I'd get saved again or she simply didn't care anymore whether I died or not. . .

The last thought pricked my heart but I refused it to mess with my emotions again.

"Take me to Seagill, Zander." I say in a tired tone.

I'd had enough of this for now. If the merfolks wanted me to sign a death sentence, then so be it. It wasn't like I could run from my duties anymore. I still don't think I could bring myself to kill her but I have to do something about Layla at some point. I've delayed it for centuries now.

"Have you gone insane? No." He said stubbornly.

My fury boiled and I glared at him, "Fine! I'll go myself."

I turned in full raptor dinosaur mode to sprint off towards the sea shore opposite to the house.

A shriek left my mouth when the next moment I was pulled and flipped over Zander's frustrating broad shoulders.

"What the fuck!" My fists throw punches at Zander's back as he holds me upside down over his shoulder giving me the perfect view of his ass.

Nice ass.

Agh Marilla, shut up!

"Let me down!" I kick with my feet at his chest.

Zander let's out a groan before holding me tighter and storming towards the penthouse.

I keep kicking and punching all the way. Zander's patience seems to slip at one point when my foot hits his ribs and he lets out a string of colorful curses.

But he lets me back on my footing only when we walk through the heavy wooden doors into the woodsy confines of the penthouse.

A horde of memories haunt me instantly as the scent of cranberries and dust linger in the air.

My throat closes up when my gaze fall on the portraits and paintings on the walls.

Diverting my attention away from them and warding off any memories related to it, "I don't want to stay here." I murmur attempting to walk towards the entrance door so that I can get the heck out of this wrecked house.

Zander's hand grabs mine again and I go twirling around to clash against him, "Stop it, Marilla. You need rest."

"What I need is to go back to Seagill and what you need is a punch on your face." I grumble trying to get out of his hold.

Zander heaves a loud sigh and pulls me towards him with one quick tug that has me careening straight forward and clashing against his form.

I stare with a startled look as his hand moves up to hold my face, "If you die, you're giving Layla the kingdom on a silver platter without any fight. Is that what you want?"

I don't dare look away and instead glare, "Maybe. Right now I can't give my throne because I'm 'bound' by my mother's promise and the blood oath. If I die, Layla becomes the queen. She'll do it better than me."

"You're delusional. This is not the right way."

"Maybe or maybe not. What do you care?"

"I care because...." His voice trails in confusion before he lets out a groan, "Should there even be a reason? Isn't it obvious? I don't want you to die."

An perplexed look crosses my face, "Ha, how chivalrous! Last I remember, you wanted me dead because I was the reason your wife is no more and your mother is captured."

I know bringing that up was. . .stupid.

But who cares. He should've known better than to try hold me here. This show of kindness was becoming overwhelming. He had no idea how badly I had fucked up his life. He had no idea what horrible thing I'd done to him.

Zander goes stone still, just observing my face in silence, "That was before I knew you must have a reason. You didn't do it willingly-"

"You're wrong." I cut him off before he could complete the sentence, "Charlotte never gave me a choice. She never even seeked me out. I was the one who went searching for her. I was the one to propose a bargain. I knew what she was upto—atleast half of it—and I still helped because I was selfish."

A slow confused furrow of brow marred his features as his hand lowered from my face.

Those grey eyes seeked mine, "What bargain did you strike with Charlotte?"

I know what I was going to say now would throw us back to page one. Back to him hating me profusely. Shattering the friendship—of sorts—we'd built through all of this search for Thanatos' captivity.

But maybe it was the effect of knowing Layla had tried to kill me again. Maybe it was the effect of almost dying twice in two days. Maybe it was the effect of being in this house where everything in my life went downhill.

Or maybe it was just because I knew deep down I didn't deserve the care he conveyed for me after what I'd done to him.

Or maybe it was all of the reasons.

But the next moment, I find myself muttering the one truth that I'd hid so long. The one truth I knew would take away any hospitality he held and make him hate me tenfold.

"I gave Charlotte information to capture your mother so that I could find out where Layla is."

_____

with Zander and Marilla?