The world was a blur as I ran, alone. I had blown a hole outside the fort and had seen the wall not far away. It's looming structure taunting me, calling me a failure and a coward. And it was right, because I turned my back on it and ran. Running away, just like Pitri said to but it didn't change what I was by doing it. It hurt, it all hurt so much.

The meadow surrounding the compound rose up to greet me, the grass waving in greeting. I dove into it. The grass so tall, it was capable of hiding me beneath its bending sea. Obscured, I took a moment to scream into the dirt. I shouldn't have left him. I should have fought for him, saved him. Instead, I had abandoned him to torture and eventual death. How could I have said I loved him and then done that. My stomached agreed with me, and showed its dislike by causing me to dry heave the emptiness. I sobbed and wretched, wretched and sobbed. I seemed to keep digging myself deeper into the dark hole no matter what I did, just proving I belonged there with those red words.

I pushed myself up on quivering limbs only to collapse. Whimpering, I began to pull myself along on my belly, the lowest of low. The reeds bent down to stroke my battered body. My fingers were all at odd angles matching the rest of my hand which was an ugly bruising pattern of yellow, blue, black, and green. Every movement was agonizing as my hand attempted to heal itself only to have it ripped apart by my continued attempts to just go forward. I had to go forward. I may be a coward, a monster, and a spoiled brat, but I would not let Pitri down by dying in this field.

A rustling disturbed the wind's symphony through the grass. I froze, fearful I had been found already by the humans.

"My, my isn't she cute." A voice cooed.

Fear shuddered through my body, dropping my heart into my stomach. That was no the voice of a human.

"It's too bad she's been damaged though sister, or she could be pretty." Another voice teased.

A long, large and powerful muscle wrapped around her, lifting her into the air. I was hung upside down. I gazed evenly at the scaled body in front of me, trailing my eyes down the tail holding me. There were two options to what was at the top of this tail, neither good.

I squirmed under the tightening coils. "Put me down snake." Each movement was a lance of pain through me and very weak, I was not getting free on my own anytime soon.

The Other raised me higher to their head level, I turned away fearful.

A twinkling laugh met my distrust. "Don't worry child. I am not a Gorgon if that's what you fear."

"That doesn't make me feel any better. Besides, why should I trust you?"

My face was turned by a delicate finger towards her, I squeezed my eyes shut though in response. A long nail raked over my eyelids.

"Open up darling, I want to see those beautiful eyes of yours."

The other one giggled. "I have a feeling that's the only part left of her still intact."

The sharp nail dung in, making me cry out and my eyes reflexive snap open to fight what was causing me harm. Bright blue eyes like the sky stared at me, a smile creeping across the owner's face.

"See?"

I wasn't turned to stone, I suppose I should accept that as a win right now. The woman pet my hanging hair, combing her fingers through it.

"Oh, I want to touch the girl!"

"I said, put me down you filthy Lamia!"

Thudding to the ground, I groaned more bruises blooming and healing. My body in a constant state of battle with itself as it tried to keep up with the abuse. I found have said gently put me down you filthy Lamia. The two peered over me, more curious than anything it seems. Reaching back, my hands pulled at air. My hook swords back in the forte, I was entirely unarmed, wounded, and outnumbered by two Lamia. I swallowed, uneven.

"About that filthy Lamia comment." Their faces curved up into leering smirks. "I was just kidding, you know ha ha ha..." I trailed off into silence.

"Oh, of course little lovely, all as you humans say, a joke yes?" Their accent was think and reminded me of a mixture of French and Romanian, back when they had been a countries that is. Still, I had learned almost every language in the fallen human world and could speak them fluently.

My heart stuttered in my chest, rattling its cage as I ran through everything I knew about Lamias in my head. They could be rather vain and enjoyed beautiful things. Lamias were known seductresses. Also they were rather fond of children, particularly their blood. Both of them over her were gorgeous beings, even with the serpentine-like appearances. From the waist up they were voluptuous women with bright blue eyes and long raven black hair, falling in curling ringlets down their back. They had sharp angular features that paired well with the pointed ears sticking out from among their thick locks. The only thing that could be considered clothing that they wore was a black clothing binding their breasts. All over them were rare metal chains with dangling gems, one wearing shades of blue and the other red. I had never seen such extravagant jewelry.

I struggled onto my knees, gazing up at the two. Pitri's words drifted through my head.

You could be the bridge.

I didn't really want to be the bridge if I was honest. Right now, I hated both humans and Others. However, if it would help me get Pitri back.

"Can you help me?" I raised my tear and blood stained face to them, a quaking voice full of the despair and pain that had sewn into my soul.

They blinked, surprised by my request. The two had probably expected me to beg for my life, run, or something. Really anything except those words that left my mouth. I would ask a thousand times though if that's what it took, I'd fallen to my face begging if it'd mean getting him back.

"What do you say sister?" The red jeweled one asked.

The blue jeweled one hummed, thoughtful. "I did not ever think I would see the day a human asked for our help and such a pretty one two. You know, I always liked the girls better than the men. They have the smarter head on their shoulders."

"Please."

They both turned toward me, watching before returning to discuss as though I wasn't there. Their voices rising and falling, an odd soothing voice with their inflections. I took the time to look at my hands, so ugly and mangled. I doubt I even had the dexterity to properly re-set them.

"How?"

My head jerked up, passing between them for confirmation. Red waved her hand, an impatient go on signal.

"I...I.." I held up my hands, distraught.

"We can not heal you pet."

"I can heal myself, please just put them back in place."

Blue came forward, holding my gaze. "It will hurt my little lovely."

I nodded, setting my teeth together. A pop and crack echoed all around me, louder than it probably was as it set chills and needles up my arm to my head which screamed in pain. All nerves firing that I was being hurt. It didn't move though, besides the uncontrollable subtle twitches of my muscles under my skin, urging to fight.

A loud ringing sounded through the meadow, confusing me for a moment if I was passing out or it was from outside my head. The Lamias' darting eyes though confirmed the later.

"Thee humans." Red hissed, her perfect red lips thinning with distaste.

"I can't let them get me." I tried to stand, but Blue's hands still held one of mine.

The two exchanged a look, understanding passing through their faces. Blue scooped me up and were went gliding through the grass, her powerful tail propelling us forward with arching whips. I moaned, the motion making me feel sick after everything. Darkness pressed at me and without warning, it consumed me.

I awoke hours later, laying on the ground in a nest of grasses. It was actually rather comfy, far better than it had been sitting in the cell. The cell, oh Pitri. Tears began to well in my eyes again.

"Don't cry pet." Red wove forward from near a small fire. "We are safe from those terrible people that did this to you."

Little rivers cut through my grim, adding once more the hectic mess that was my state.

"Here." Blue murmured soothingly. She brought over a pot that had been near the fire, water inside it with a rag hanging over. "Clean up as best you can for now. It will help you feel better. I would like to see what you look like without all that foul smelling stuff."

I managed a thanks and started scrubbing at everything that had been caked to me. The water had soon turned a dark muddy brown, which Blue emptied and refilled a couple times for me taking the time to heat the water each time. Eventually I was at least recognizable as me when I looked into the water's surface at my reflection.

"There you are, just as lovely as I expected." Blue smiled. "Feeling better?"

"I guess." I flexed my fingers, all having been set and healing while I was passed out. It was an unsettling feeling to know they had so much control over me while I was undefended yet, it was still a relief.

"So pet, shall you tell us a story now?"

Looking up at them, I met their hypnotizing beauty and brilliant blue eyes. I could see why they were considered to be one of the deadliest of predators.

"I will, if you'll answer me a question first." Red inclined her head, giving me permission to continue. "Why didn't you kill me?"

"It would be a shame to destroy something so beautiful."

"Though we suspect you'd make a pretty corpse, it would still have been sad."

"Plus you smell..."

"Like home." They finished together, gazing at me, steady and honest.

So I told them, I told them the story of a girl created to save humans and kill Others. I told them a story of a girl with no name of her own, called Alice. From the lab to the fort, I regaled the tale to the best of my ability. To their credit, they rarely interrupted. Only asking clarifying questions on occasion and with polite little ahems to catch my attention, when I reached the part about leaving Pitri they cried...they cried for me and Pitri. Without trying, I found myself crying too. These woman I had been told time and time again were monster and my enemies, were shedding tears for me and someone they had never met.

The Lamia had taken to frighting over me, it was endearing at first but had quickly become a nuisance. I wasn't incapable. Plus my wounds were rapidly healing now that everything was back in place and clean. Still they tutted over my like mother hens, I found it hard to hate them though for it, though it was definitely annoying.

After hearing my story, the Lamia had promised their assistance in freeing Pitri. A good night sleep had followed, restful and hopeful of the future. The next morning they took me to a river for a real bathing and produced new clothing for me, burning my old ones. I had then been adamant to set off to the fort for Pitri; however, they had argued with me. Stating they could not surely take on an army of humans themselves, if the humans did truly have material from a gate. It made sense, though it made me mad and impatient. So instead of laying siege, we were know traveling the opposite direction. Each step was a piercing to my heart, I was being carried farther and farther from Pitri. He could be dead right now and I wouldn't even know it. No, I couldn't think like that. I would save him.

Stopping, I took the time to look back in the direction of the fort trying to figure out what was happening with pure will power. It wasn't helpful even in the slightest as my imagination took hold with horrible thoughts of possible outcomes. I frowned, slapping both hands to my face, hard.

"You alright pet?" Red paused to watch me.

I had asked if I could call them by their colors, to which they agreed. "Yes I'm fine or I will be."