LOOKING BACK AT THE living room,  I ask, "Can you give me a minute?" Macaria nods and quietly steps out into the hallway, heading for the main doors.

I lean against the wall for a few seconds before I tiptoe silently towards my parents' room. Soft light hums inside and I can see it from the bedroom door they've left slightly ajar.

I watch them sleep, their closed eyes occasionally drifting and troubled. And yet, they manage to look so peaceful in certain moments, like they've never been better.

I smile at them, possibly for the last time for a long while. I turn away, slowly closing the door behind me. I walk up the stairs, stopping in front of Charles' door. I can hear him snoring feebly, eliciting a low chuckle from me.

I placed my forehead against his cold door, a single tear making its way down my cheek. I wiped it off quickly; I'd never be able to do this if I started breaking down now. I had already stayed for a day after we found the Mark on my back.

I had already risked them for twenty four hours. I will not be doing that again as long as I am alive. I move away, creep down the stairs and make my way out of the home that had given me love, comfort and safety for seventeen long years.

I find Macaria waiting for me outside, tying our rucksacks to two horses she had somehow managed to procure. She moves ahead to nuzzle a horse's muzzle while rubbing another one's mane. Both of them were as beautiful as the night sky, their mane unfurling majestically in the night wind. 

I glanced at the horses quizzically, when one of them broke away from its companion and trotted noiselessly towards me. It nudged my cheek and a ghost of a smile appeared on Macaria's face.

"That's Orphnaeus," she says, smiling ever so fondly at the horse. She gestures at hers. "And this is Nycteus. The best boys ever." She pats Nycteus' crest. "Orphnaeus seems to have taken a liking to you, better get on that horse before he picks you up himself."

I stand frozen, my hands subconsciously running themselves over Orphnaeus' silky coat. "Are they your horses? How'd you get them here?"

Macaria just shakes her head wistfully. "No, they aren't mine but I wish they were." She swings herself on top of Nycteus and I realise that that is all the response I will get from her.

It bothers me how I am leaving with someone I barely know anything about, leaving my friends and family behind. As I make myself comfortable on Orphnaeus' back, something clicks in my mind. I almost smack myself when the thought surfaces.

How had I been so self absorbed?

"What about Christina? Your family? You don't have --"

Macaria cuts me off, immediately catching my drift. "I am doing what I swore to do."

Before I can protest or even get a confused word in, our horses shoot forward, like they had been released from a tightly strung bow. I had never ridden a horse before but somehow I sank back onto Orphnaeus' back, instinctively.

His hooves must have broken the gravel on the road, with the rate at which they were thumping against the ground. But no sound emanates from their hooves, making us travel like shadows in the night. It is impressive and it fills me with excitement against my will.

Running away felt good, it felt like all the burden on my shoulders was whisked away. I could truly live; not in a prison but at least, in some remote, underground corner of the world.

"Where are we going?" I yell over the wind rushing into my face. Thankfully, Macaria had specifically asked me dress in jeans, a t-shirt, a heavy jacket and boots. She had also tied up my hair, all of which I am really grateful every time the cold thwacks me in the chest.

"Mount Ida," she says breezily, like she did not just suggest we gallop our way to Crete.

"Mount Ida? Have you completely lost your mind? You want to cross into another continent on horseback?" I half-scream incredulously. I have no idea what Macaria wants to do with her life but I am not running just to die.

The most shocking thing is when Macaria bends over with laughter, our horses right next to each other so I can see her eyes twinkling. "I do not find this funny, Macaria," I say, fear setting in with every hoofbeat.

"Neither do I. These aren't ordinary horses, you know. I will personally explain everything to you when we reach Mount Ida. I promise." She nods at me and I know she is being sincere.

I look away, instead focusing on how alive I feel atop Orphnaeus. I dig my fingers into his silky black mane further, clutching tightly for dear life. My thighs and calves press into the horse's sides and we race away from a place I once called home.

We soon cross Avernus, casting us out into the barren sandy stretches of land ahead of us. The night air drops down by a thousand degrees. My teeth start to chatter as Orphnaeus barrels straight, not caring about the freezing air hitting me over and over.

I fold myself on top the horse's back, gripping onto the unnatural warmth radiating from him. I immediately feel a surge of power in my bones, just like I had every time something went wrong. I glance at Macaria, who was riding Nycteus like she had been born doing so.

I decide against telling her. No good had ever come out of me feeling unearthly energy and it would only freak Macaria out. I sigh into Orphnaeus' mane and find myself drifting off, even though we were literally shooting through sandy dunes.

I close my eyes, feeling surprisingly comfortable. Orphnaeus' hooves thundered like lightning beneath me, sand flying all around us, explosion after explosion. The rhythmic sound finally takes over and I shift into a nightmare.

In my dream, I see myself in a green meadow, the sweet smell of flowers filling the air. Sunshine, chirping of the birds and skittering of small woodland animals encompasses the place. I am riding Orphnaeus towards a curtain of mosses and tendrils. It gives off the strangest emotions; like courage but fear too, pain but strength.

I hold a sword with a golden hilt, marked with a bident. The craftmanship is incredible, it feels light in my hand and fits snugly into my palm. The silver blade glints wickedly in the sunlight. I shudder but keep going straight ahead.

The curtain lifts and we fall into complete chaos and mayhem. A blood red landmass spreads ahead, no sense of plant or animal life. Keepers clash against civilians, horses rush over and around bodies strewn on the ground. Orphnaeus whinnies and rears back as a spear narrowly misses the side of my head.

I move to turn and gallop away when I see the curtain has vanished. Guttural cries resonate on the field, the sounds of sword against shield ringing violently. I start panicking and maybe Orphnaeus senses it because he immediately starts acting skittish.

All of a sudden, a huge gush of wind topples me over. I fall roughly to the ground, face first. Orphnaeus raises his hooves and charges my attacker. I see black spots in my vision and I am terrified of what the attacker might do to my horse.

"Orphnaeus, no!" I yell, but it is too late. The horse thuds down lifelessly next to me, having obviously been picked up and thrown. My throat feels raw as I scream, anger burning through my veins.

I get up unsteadily, taking in my attacker for the first time. He has long blond hair, a similarly long beard. His eyes are startlingly blue, like the colour of the sea. He towers over me, easily the size of a twenty feet tall building. A harsh light covers him, like it was meant to be his layer of protection.

He glares down at me but I do not back off. Energy seeps into me and the ground under the giant man's feet erupts into fruits and flowers, toppling him over. It is evident he did not expect that because he falls over, shrieking and cursing.

I am too stunned to notice whether he gets up or not; I have never put my energy into use. I have always felt it humming inside, ready to break through. But I never expected the ground to erupt into plants. All that energy and I can only shoot plants?

The giant gets up clumsily and I immediately raise my sword. "Who are you and what have you done?" I demand, gesturing at the fighting raging on behind him.

Instead of answering, he tilts his head back and laughs. "You do not have the authority to question me, little girl."

I grit my teeth. "I am not a little girl."

"Very well," the giant says in a gravelly tone, like an old grandfather's voice might sound through a boombox. "Look carefully. This is not my doing. You caused this. Your existence is a threat to Elara."

"I caused this?" I shake my head. "Impossible."

"Do not be so quick to judge your darkness. Your downfall is the only way Elara will thrive."

My limbs shake and I almost let go of my sword. What was this giant talking about? I had nothing. I am nothing. How can I even cause something of this magnitude ever?

He seems to read my mind because he slowly bends over, bringing his face very close to mine. His nose is as long as my arm and makes me look so insignificant. "Yes, what will you do? You have no power. Give up now and the Fates will spare you."

The giant gestures at the sword in my hand. "You only need to use that, and you'll save everyone from yourself."

His words swirl around my head and I nod. "Save everyone, yes."

I raise the sword to my neck, keeping my arm remarkably balanced. The tip presses to my throat drawing blood when suddenly the giant's eyes open wider. He starts speaking but it is Macaria's voice. It startles me and I drop my sword.

"Cynthia! Get up, we're here."

My dreams dissolve and I sit up shakily, rubbing my arms up and down. I am still on Orphnaeus' back and he is alive, which brings a little air back into my lungs. I move my head disoriented and lost, trying to gauge my surroundings.

"Where are we?" I whisper.

"Mount Ida, home to the Flawed."

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