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                                                         CHAPTER 15

                         "One is always at home in one's past..."

                                            ― Vladimir Nabokov

SOMEONE SAT ON the edge of her bed, head low, with a hoodie over their head. Helene jerked off her bed as fast as she could, rolling onto the ground and grabbing the knife from her drawer as quick as lightning. The knife glinted in her hand as she stood up, her nightshirt up to her stomach and her shorts resting well up, exposing all of her tanned legs. Her mind churned with ideas and ways to dispatch the person who currently sat on the edge of her bed, their head low.

"What the hell?" She muttered, running her left hand through the mess of tangled hair, "Do I know you?"

Shadows hid the identity of the man, wrapping around him like a cacoon. Slowly, as if time had slowed down itself, the person stood up, tilting their head back and allowed the hood fall of their face, exposing themselves to Helene.

The reveal blew her away so fast that she couldn't help that small gasp that escaped her, and staggered back with wide eyes. All the training she had kept her holding on to the dagger in her hand, but didn't stop her hands from shaking.

"Hey, little sister." Grave smiled weakly, "Surprise?"

She continued to gawk, many possibilities running through her head. What was he doing here? Why wasn't he in Belwick where everyone had been looking for him? Maybe he was here to see her before he went off home.

"W-what are you doing here? Where did you go?"

Grave licked his lips and shook his blond hair out of his face. Dirt caked his fingers and below his nails, soot sticking to his hair, making the tips dark. He didn't reply at first, but then he raised his head and sighed, "I was kidnapped."

Helene frowned and cocked her head to the right, raising a confused eyebrow, "By...?

"Creatures."

"Because...?"

"I..." He paused, debating whether he should tell her or not.

Helene couldn't take it anymore. She expected him to instantly tell her everything and all the information he had that would help them take them down. Instead, here sat her older brother, hesitating in saying anything at all.

"Tell me. Help us defeat them and go home. You don't have to hide anything because you fear they will punish you for it. The castle will guard you, don't worry."

Grave's head shot up, "I can't."

"What? Why not?"

Grave stood up, tired of stalling. "Look. I was kidnapped by the Creatures because they were looking for someone and got the wrong person instead. At the end, they saw some use in me so kept me around instead of killing me off. I just managed to escape their clutches but they will be back for me. I heard that you were here with the Top Ten and I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you before I leave and go on the run."

"You didn't just come here to tell me this, did you?" She pressed, hoping to get anything out of him. Just one thing and that's all I need.

Grave looked at her with a small secretive smile that held all the information Helene craved, "Yes. In fact, I have a lot to tell you. But maybe for another time. Tomorrow you are leaving for Ethele if I am not mistaken?"

Helene jerked back once again.

How the hell did he know that secret? Since when was it out for the public?

Noticing her stare, he shrugged, "I've met some people on the way that deem very useful. They are the ones that helped me escape."

"Introduce them to me, will you? Let me thank them." She tried again, desperate.

He saw right through her, something she had never seen him do, "Maybe next time. But for now, I have come for something far more important. I have come to tell you about how the world is changing, new rulers and leaders are taking place-"

"This has nothing to do with why you were kidnapped nor what you're doing here now that you have escaped. Why is this much more important than getting home safely and your life?"

"It is," He hissed, trying to make her understand, "Don't you get it? It's getting more dangerous and we must all know who our alliances are with."

Helene squinted at his face in the darkness.

He had changed, she noticed. Leaner and much more sturdy on his feet as his black eyes pierced her own. Probably from all the running away he had to do while being kidnapped. Helene shoved away from the thoughts and focused on what he was trying to tell her.

"Are you asking whether I am with you one hundred percent or my choices..." Dropping the dagger which was in her sweaty right palm on to the ground, Helene kicked it under the bed and gulped.

Her choices?

He shook his head, "No matter what, will you stand with me? Help me when I call for you? Act by my side?"

He was asking much from her and was giving her nothing in return. Helene was always warned about deals as such, but it was her brother begging her to be on his side. Yet, they were on the same side so what seemed to be the trouble? Why did he look so desperate for that one yes out of her?

"If you agree, I swear I will tell you more about what I am talking about once you come back from Ethele. I promise. But I need to know that you are with me one hundred and ten percent. No going back, no chickening out."

"Life long contract or what?" Helene muttered, "Sheesh, you're making it sound like if I back out, I die."

The look on Grave's face confirmed her comment. He looked away for a second and then back at her.

"I'll give you a few days to think. Tell me when you come back, yeah?"

Helene stared at him, contemplating whether to go straight to the authorities and tattle. Be a snitch. Tell them everything.

I could be a spy. She thought to herself. No one would ever know.

Grave shook his head, "Tread carefully, Hel. There are others who would kill you on first sight."

Don't snitch Helene. I need you. He whispered to her in other words.

She bit her lip, nodding. "After the mission it is."

He nodded, "Stay safe. Don't trust anybody. Especially that prince."

Without waiting for her reply, he vanished, a shadow amongst the darkness of the night, leaving Helene stranded and locked up in her own room as if he was never there.

                                               »»————-❈————-««

HELENE PUNCHED THE leather seat she sat on, making her butt feel squishier than usual. It was dawn, and she was exhausted from the conversation she had earlier with Grave which he had told her to keep a secret. Her heart thumped faster inside her chest every time she looked at one of her companions in the car. They sat muted, completely silent. Legion sat in the middle, their seats facing in Helene's direction. He was the only royal in the car, Brenna sitting beside him as his own personal bodyguard. The rest of them, including Raylan, sat in the back.

Getting Brenna to allow Raylan to go with them took her exactly five minutes. It included a lot of bribing, shouting, cursing and physical fighting. In the end, she screamed at Helene to shut up and do whatever she wanted as long as she didn't get them in trouble. Skipping to his room and telling him the news was just the easy part.

Shifting to look outside, Helene gulped at the sight. The buildings were zooming past at a fast speed, blurring the surroundings as they drove. She leaned back and closed her eyes, tilting her head so it was straight and facing forward instead of to the right and towards the open window. The cool breeze swept her hair out of the ponytail she had tied it neatly in, and now it was everywhere, sweeping all over her wind-blown face.

She gulped in some air, popping her eyes open. She caught Legion staring at her silently in a very brooding manner as if he wanted to speak but kept shut, not just because of the others but because he knew better then to start another fight. He knew she was in a bad mood, whatever the reason was.

"You all know what we have to do right?" Brenna asked cheerfully, lifting her dark sunglasses off her beautiful tanned face. Her eyes found Helene's and remained there.

"Yeah, we know. Go there, bribe them, get out." Cas muttered, picking at his nails with a knife he must have slipped out from his boot.

Brenna shot him a look of disdain, "Sweetheart, have you been listening to anything that I have been telling you?"

"Nah," He shrugged, lazily looking up at Brenna beneath his eyelashes, "I've been too busy."

Helene watched in satisfaction as Brenna gritted her teeth and smiled nonetheless, "Of course you were. But those who were listening, you know what to do and don't screw this over. We have a one shot at this and we need their alliance badly and they know it too. Don't let them trick you. This means you all got to use those brains inside your thick skulls and think before you speak."

No one said anything and stared at her with empty looks. She sighed loudly through her nose. "Okay! Fine! What do you want?"

Helene leaned forward and said casually, "Fix your ugly face so we can at least look at you properly."

They all knew about her foul mood but Brenna sneered at her either way, "Why don't you act mature for a few minutes? This isn't a joke."

She leaned back again, watching Legion who watched her back. He opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and shut it as fast as he opened it.

"No, please." Ella raised an eyebrow, "You've wanted to talk for a while now. Tell us."

Legion scowled, "Nothing."

Everyone went back to their brooding.

"Oh come one! Can't we at least continue making fun of each other? It was much more entertaining than watching you all brood like idiots. Drama. I need drama!" Raylan wailed, making their driver look into the rearview mirror to make sure no one was dying.

"Shut up." They all chorused together.

Raylan sent them a creeped out look and crossed his hands over his broad chest, "How dare-"

"And you wanted to bring this thing with us on the trip. What kind of charming can it do?" Brenna muttered as she glared at Helene.

She raised her hands in surrender, "He's usually really easy to deal with."

"Hey!" Raylan snapped, "I'm not a thing nor an it. I am an a or a him."

"Brenna," Ella sighed, "Leave it alone. The thing hasn't gotten his nap time so he's a bit grumpy."

Raylan opened his mouth to object but clamped it shut, looking around furiously. Helene's eyes went straight to Legion who sat casually with one foot over the other, running his hand through his silky hair. He looked back at her, his lips twitching.

She grinned, making Brenna frown.

It was going to be a very long and interesting ride.

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Not edited. I will edit it later due to some reasons so if you notice and mistakes please tell me. Thanks for reading!