Sitting on the lowest branch of the tree, I slouch back against the trunk and watch the idiots across the clearing as they put the finishing touches on their idyllic tree house.

If Zac were here, he'd be laughing at them.

It's a futile attempt at safety in a land where nowhere is safe. I've seen Slayers in the trees, emerging from the water, appearing out of thin air. They're as well trained as we are. They've probably been killing for longer. 

A treehouse helps nothing.

Yawning, I look away, back towards Jordan across the clearing, kneeling on the mud. He's sharpening my knives, something he's done every single day since we've been here.

I bite my lip as I watch him slide the weapons back and forth, completely and utterly immersed in the job. He's distracting himself, I'm certain of it.

We've always been surrounded by so many people, but now our group has been picked apart so much that we're almost completely alone, more time left to overthink, reliving everything that's happened to us until now.

There's no doubt in my mind that he's thinking of the gorgeous, caring Claudia as he sharpens the weapons. He's remembering her laugh, how her eyes twinkled when she told us a joke, the way she'd always run to help anyone in need. Her long hair, standing at the same height as him, always hanging off his shoulder.

He's remembering how she was gunned down, neither one of them able to say goodbye to each other before her eyes turned glassy, blood pooling from her chest.

A lone tear falls down my cheek and I curse under my breath, wondering when the hell I'm going to be able to think of her without crying. I miss her every fucking day. I can't even imagine what Jordan is going through. How can he even bring himself to wake up each morning?

"Stop right there," a sudden yell erupts from one of Callum's men, every single one of them raising their guns at someone behind me. 

Wide eyed, I shift on the branch, turning to look through the trees behind me. My mouth drops open at the sight of the curly haired brunette, her hands raised in surrender as she stares fearfully down the barrel of four guns.

"Heidi!" I exclaim, instantly pushing myself off the branch and jumping down. "What are you doing here?"

Within seconds she's in my arms and we hug for the first time in a month. 

"Hey, Mils," she mumbles into my hair. 

"For fucks sake, put the fucking weapons down," Jordan snaps as we pull apart, glancing back at the camp. 

"You're not the boss of us," one of them argues.

Jordan smirks. "Callum isn't here today, so I think I fucking am," he counters before glancing towards us. "Heidi, it's good to see you!" he exclaims, walking over and wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Likewise." She smiles.

"What are you doing here?" I ask her as Jordan leads us over towards the campfire.

She sighs before peering up at me, her bright blue eyes slightly teary. "I'm sorry I left. I haven't stopped thinking about you since."

"Oh, Heid." I pull her in for another hug. "No apologies necessary!"

"We were patrolling the South and... every time someone died, I couldn't stop worrying about all of you back here." She bites her lip. "I ended up being more of a hindrance than a help," she explains.

"I understand that," I reply honestly. I can't say I'm dealing particularly well with us all being split up either.

"Myles and a girl called Opal walked me back here. They communicated with Callum via walkie talkie and he told us where you were," she adds. "I figured I'd be more help up here. Plus... I missed you."

I smile at her words. "I missed you too."

"And me?" Jordan teases.

Heidi laughs. "Of course. We're family."

I smile at the words and nod in agreement. It's true. A ridiculously messed up, broken family. But a family nonetheless. 

We settle beside the fire and I cross my legs in front of me as Heidi drops her bag beside her before taking in the sight of the camp around us.

"Speaking of family, where's Zac?" she asks. I bite my tongue, a wave of frustration rushing through me at the reminder. He's a fucking idiot. I run my hand through my hair as Heidi's eyes widen, glancing between the two of us.

Jordan scratches the back of his head. "About that..." he starts.

*~*~*

I'm holding my water flask in my hands, sitting against a tree trunk the next morning, watching as various people walk back and forth between their treehouse and the trees beyond. It's only a matter of time.

Across from me, Heidi suddenly shifts from under her blanket before sitting up, her eyes bleary.

"Good morning." I send Heidi a quick smile. She looks exhausted, her hair tangled from tossing and turning all night, her clothes wrinkled.

She smiles back, stretching her arms out and looking around. "Do they really think they'll be safe up there?" She gestures up at the silly treehouse.

I smirk. "Yeah," I reply, shrugging. "They do."

She furrows her eyebrows. "How much experience do they have with Slayers?"

"Good question," I retort, shifting on the pile of leaves beneath me. "Definitely less than us."

"Where's Jordan?" She looks around the clearing and I shake my head, knowing that he left early this morning with a member of Callum's team.

"He volunteered to go to the mansion today," I inform Heidi. "To be a look out... in case Zac or Poppy need help." 

Heidi nods at my words, glancing back towards the treehouse. "And you feel safe here on your own?"

I smirk, shaking my head. "I'm not on my own. I have you."

"Sisters forever," Heidi mutters and I laugh at her enthusiasm before watching as she pulls the blanket off of her, rolling it up to stuff in her rucksack. I still have so many questions for her, so much that has been left unanswered about her return.

"How far did you get before you turned back?" I ask, curiosity eating away at me. Besides, it's not like there's much else to do here.

"I'm not entirely sure," she admits. "I got to see the south coast though. The sea." She smiles at the memory. "It just... it felt so wrong. We've been on this journey together from the very beginning," she pauses, shutting her rucksack and turning back to face me. "I made a mistake leaving my family."

I sigh, nodding at her words and writhing my hands together. "There's not much of a family left," I retort, letting my head drop slightly.

"Everyone is still family... they're just a little further away. Maybe they don't get homesick like I do," she tries to joke and I nod at her words. I'm surprised by how much I miss everyone, even the annoying as hell Anna.

"Do you miss Sam?" I ask, threatening our entire equilibrium with one question. I hold my breath.

Heidi slowly starts to nod. "Of course. He was there for me when we were in the North. We may not have worked out as a couple, but of course I miss him."

"I'm worried about him," I admit. "He was never the best with weapons—"

"He's with Anna," Heidi reminds me. "She's amazing with weapons."

"That gives me no comfort." I smirk. "She hates him."

"Anna doesn't hate anyone," Heidi retorts. "It's all just a front."

Looking down at the trainers on my feet, I shuffle them around, trying to figure out how to ask the next question. "What about... what about Myles?" I ask and she raises an eyebrow.

"Myles?"

"You were growing closer to him."

She nods. "I was," she pauses, stretching her arms out in front of her before standing up. "But I've known you longer," she mutters. "If it's meant to be, we'll find our way back to each other," she adds.

I smile, unsure how else to respond to her words. "That's a nice motto to live by," I eventually choose to say, standing beside her and glancing around. "What do you say we go scavenge some food?"

"And get away from these idiots?" She gestures towards the treehouse. "Count me in."

*~*~*

Over an hour later, Heidi and I are sitting in the branches of some trees, munching down on some winter berries that we've managed to find. Only two Slayers have met the end of my blades, the woodland relatively quiet for the middle of the day.

It may be due to the cold weather, all of them in hiding from the icy nights. Maybe they're all holed up in various towns, seeking shelter in whatever building they can find. I wish we were doing the same...

"Are you okay?" Heidi suddenly asks.

I swallow my food. "Sure."

"Tell me the truth," she retorts.

Looking down at my handful of berries, I pick up another, carefully placing it in my mouth and chewing. I can't tell her the truth. I can't tell anyone the truth. Not even myself. If I do... I'll break.

I shrug. "You already know the answer... so why ask?"

It's a safe answer.

Heidi sighs, reaching over and clutching my free hand with hers. "Zac will be okay."

Zac will be okay.

If only I could believe that.

"You don't know that for sure," I answer, shaking my head.

Heidi purses her lips. "He'll do everything he can to get back to you, Mils," she promises.

I can't fight the smile that spreads across my face, knowing that she's right. It's the exact same thing I would do if the roles were reversed. Although, I never would have gone to my Demon sister's house in the first place. Because there... there's no telling what will happen.

"It might not be enough," I whisper, the frightening words escaping through my lips. I need him to come back, I can't bear the thought that Gia will have power over him in any way.

But realistically, I know she will. She already does by having my husband under her roof. I hate her.

"I'm so fucking angry at him," I breathe out.

Heidi nods. "I figured."

"What if he doesn't return?" I whisper. Tears well in my eyes as soon as the words leave my lips. A sliver of pain slices through my chest and abdomen at the thought and I let my head drop, dangling by itself as I bite my lip, struggling to hold it together.

Without Zac... I'm alone.

"Emilia!" Heidi suddenly hisses. 

My head snaps up. She's slouching down on her branch, pointing in the distance at something that's moving. Instantly pulled out of my pity party, I narrow my eyes, ducking too and recognising the familiar brown uniform. I grit my teeth, soundlessly dropping to the leaf covered floor. 

Resting my hands on the soil, Heidi soon joins me and we keep our eyes on the figures as they begin to walk the opposite way.

"What the hell are the Enforcers doing out here?" Heidi whispers. I shake my head in answer. I have absolutely no idea, but I want to find out.

"Come on," I reply, before dodging the plants in front of me, slowly and silently making my way after the enemy.

I can tell that Heidi wants to hang back, clearly worried that we're heading into a trap, but eventually she gives in, hot on my tail as we stay hidden within the long undergrowth.

The Enforcers are walking with purpose, barely even letting their gazes trawl through the woods, searching for anything. Instead, they seem to be in a rush, desperate to get somewhere as fast as they can. Are they scared of the Slayers too? Of us?

Their eyes dart from side to side, but never behind them. I can't help but wonder how stupid they have to be to completely miss any danger from the back. After all, stabbing someone through the spine is a well known move. I don't care how cowardly it is, I'd do it if I didn't want to figure out what their plan is here.

It would be an easy shot, leaving themselves completely open, almost like they're more worried about getting back than searching around them for danger.

I don't think they have too much experience with the Slayers.

It's over an hour of walking before they slow slightly, and I look up at the cloudy day, frustrated that there's no sun to reveal which way we've walked. Shit.

I know I have a compass somewhere in my bag, but I don't want to have to dig everything out to find it. I can deal with it later...

"Where are they going?" Heidi whispers and I shake my head in response before stepping forward once again to make sure the Enforcers don't disappear out of sight.

"I have no idea," I tell her honestly.

"What if it's a trap?" she asks.

I shake my head. "Neither one of them have glanced towards us," I reply. "They have no idea we're here."

I'm certain of it.

Ninety-nine percent certain.

Moving slowly through the weeds, I step over a haphazard branch on the floor, making sure not to let it crack as we keep our bodies low, almost doubled over as we stalk our prey.

I cock my head to the side as one of them finally glances behind them, the fear evident on her expression from here. Ducking lower, I watch as she turns back to the front, her fleeting, terrified gaze enough to prove to me how little the Enforcers want to be out here.

"They don't know what they're doing," Heidi breathes out and I nod.

"This is all brand new to them," I agree before walking away from her, continuing after the enemy like sheep. I'm even less scared now that I know they're scared. Who would have thought... the people who used to panic me most, now completely out of their depth in the broken South.

I grin at the thought before dodging around a large fern and keeping to the shadows of the trees. Eventually the woodland begins to thin and I furrow my eyebrows at the familiar sight around me. I'm starting to recognise it and I dart a glance back at Heidi, raising my hand to tell her to stop in place.

Reluctantly, I move forward to the next tree, resting my hand against it and peering around the side. I suck in a breath at the metal gate that's opening electronically for the Enforcers before they quickly slide inside.

I watch as it crunches shut behind them, letting my gaze roam to the right, over the building behind it.

Gia's mansion.

I should have known.

But what the hell were Enforcers doing patrolling the woods?

"Emilia?" A familiar, male voice calls out from behind me.

Whirling on my heel, my back slams back against the tree trunk as I hold my hands up in surrender as a black gun stares directly at my chest. Busted.

And he looks furious.

"It isn't what it looks like!" I insist quickly.

Jordan frowns, crossing his arms over his chest. "It looks like you came here to get to Zac."

I shake my head. "I gave up on that two weeks ago, remember?" I pause before pointing behind to the timid Heidi, waving from afar. "Heidi and I followed some Enforcers here from just outside camp."

"Outside camp?" Jordan exclaims and I nod. "Shit!"

"We need to get back and tell the others," I tell him and he nods, placing his gun back into his waistband.

"I'll leave the other guy on lookout and come with you," he says and I nod before he disappears back into the trees.

Glancing back at the monstrous building behind me, I look up at the blackened windows of the first floor, biting my lip. It's dark, almost gothic, not one aspect of it inviting in the slightest. I wonder if Zac is inside any of the windows, standing there looking out... whether he can see me, or whether he's elsewhere, laughing and joking with his sister.

Is he thinking about me at all?

Is he okay? Is Poppy okay?

I miss him like crazy. Reaching behind me for the tree, I let my hand run down the rough wood before tearing my gaze away from the windows and retreating back into the woodland.

*~*~*

"Are you fucking crazy?" I snap at Callum as he walks away from me.

"No."

"Why the fuck wouldn't you move the camp?" Heidi pipes up.

Callum raises an eyebrow. "We've just settled here."

"So?" I scoff. "News flash, Enforcers are patrolling this area."

"They might not come back," one of Callum's team inputs. Jordan scoffs.

"Seriously?" Heidi smirks. "That just shows how little you know them."

"They're searching for something," Jordan adds, stepping closer to Callum. "There's no other reason for them to be walking so far through these woods."

"It's probably the blonde!" Someone yells out.

My eyes whip around to look for the culprit, unable to narrow down which of the four ugly faces that peer out of the treehouse opened their mouth. Fucking twats. They probably want to deliver me straight to Gia's front door and ring the bell.

"Go on! Say it again," I yell, stepping towards them. "I dare you."

"Look," Callum starts, reaching out and grabbing my arm.

"Don't!" I warn him, wrenching my hand away and glaring with as much fire as I can muster. Fury bubbles inside my lungs, fire engulfing my torso, spurring me on.

Callum raises his hands in surrender. "We'll keep an eye out over the next few days. We have the treehouse now and that gives us some protection." He gestures up.

I scoff, crossing my arms across my chest. "You're all fucking idiots," I spit at Callum before whirling away, back towards Jordan and Heidi.