As Alicia blinks her eyes open, she expects to be faced with the Reaper and the grin of his raven. Instead she's greeted by the whipping of rain against walls, nearly drowning out the gentle crackle of a fire. Her fingers curl in soft furs as she draws in even breaths, trying to understand what's going on. The rain continues its persistent battle, the clap of thunder making her wince.

Alicia squints in the low light of what she sees is a cabin with its uneven wooden walls, a steady drip of water from the wood roof being caught by a bucket with a rhythmic tapping.

"Where am I?" she foolishly asks the darkness, as though it has ever been merciful.

"You're awake."

She starts at the smooth voice, shrinking further into the furs embracing her.

"It's me." The owner of the voice steps into the light of the fire, hands absently cleaning a shotgun.

But her fear dissipates upon seeing the black eyes, the full lips and high cheekbones of a woman she never expected to lay eyes on again. Her near midnight hair is done in its usual braid, wisps framing her strong jaw.

"Kathryn," Alicia forces past her dry throat. "What are you doing here?"

"That's a question I should be asking you." She sets her shotgun down by the crackling fireplace and moves to kneel by Alicia. "What are you doing beyond the walls?"

Alicia lifts her hand and presses it to her side, remembering bleeding out at Kathryn's farm. She should be dead. Both of them should be dead. No one comes back from exile.

"The bullet went through," Kathryn continues, offering Alicia a flask that she takes in a trembling hand and sips at, unable to tear her gaze from Kathryn.

She's changed. Her features are gaunter, sharper. Alicia recognises it like she's looking at her past self when she was fighting her battles in the slums four years ago.

"You'll live, but you're lucky."

"How did you find me?"

Kathryn sighs. "I wasn't looking for you, that's obvious. I was visiting David's grave."

"Gods," Alicia whispers, slumping back down on the lumpy pillow. "I'm so sorry, Kathryn."

"Three years ago now. I found this place when he died. I couldn't stay at the farm, not after it happened."

Alicia covers her eyes with a hand as tears threaten to spill. She can't think of words to speak. The past few days have been an overwhelming whirlwind and she should've died. But she didn't and now she has to sort through this mess.

"Alicia, you need to tell me what happened. Were you infected?"

Alicia turns her head and meets her aunt's dark eyes, a crease between her brows. "I'd be dead by now if I were."

Kathryn purses her full lips, her eyes narrowing. "Then why are you beyond the walls?"

Alicia blows out a breath and stares at the ceiling, trying to find some sort of strength amongst the slats of wood.

How can she tell her aunt that Alicia is responsible for the downfall of their family? For the death of her brother?

"I made a mistake. I made many mistakes." Alicia blinks and the visage of her ma flashes behind her eyelids, sneering at her, betraying her, selling her to the grand duke.

How could Alicia have known not to trust her own mother?

Alicia turns her head, a new thought coming to her and she's thankful for it. She doesn't want to think about the events that lead her here. "Where's my pack?"

Kathryn grabs her bag and sets it on the bed beside Alicia. "Most exiles aren't allowed to take anything through the tunnel."

Alicia's jaw tenses because she knows she's not like most exiles, but she doesn't reply as she flips open the bag and digs into it. She pulls out the notebook, her only chance of tearing down the grand duke. It's useless now since there's no chance of her getting back into the capital and staying alive long enough to do what she originally planned.

No one will listen to her anyway, not without her title beside the prince. She may as well be a barefoot little girl in the slums once again.

"What's that?" Kathryn questions, moving to toss another log onto the fire.

"A notebook," Alicia mutters, the words sour on her tongue because that's all it is anymore.

"I can see that."

Flicking her eyes over her aunt, she wonders how much she knows about the things happening within the walls. She's not heard of anyone trying to contact the exiles, most are content to believe they're all dead, but Alicia was never convinced. Many of those that have been exiled were soldiers in the war and if anyone can survive beyond the walls, it's them.

Alicia had hoped she'd never have to find out if she could survive beyond the walls. Surviving within them cost her enough already.

"A lot of things have changed in the capital in the last four years."

"As expected. How's our family?"

Alicia sits up, cringing as hurt arcs up her side, but she ignores it. "They're well." The lie falls from her lips without her even thinking about it. She can't stomach telling her aunt that Alicia's stupidity got the woman's brother killed.

But she needs to tell her something. Explain how she ended up here.

"I'm betrothed to Prince Sebastian," Alicia blurts out.

Kathryn inclines her head, continuing to stare into the flames. "Very funny."

Swinging her legs off the side of the bed, Alicia presses her hands to the bandages wrapped around her abdomen. "Thinking about it, I really wish I were joking."

Kathryn jerks her head towards Alicia and her eyes widen. "You're serious?"

"Another one of Nathalia's brilliant plans." Alicia bares her teeth in what she hopes passes as a smile and not a grimace as she thinks about her mother.

"That woman is intent on getting you killed."

Alicia huffs out a laugh that becomes a grunt as her wound protests. "You don't know the half of it."

Sighing again, Kathryn turns more fully to Alicia. "You can't tell anyone."

Alicia frowns. "First of all, who would I tell out here? And also, why not?"

"More exiles have survived out here than anyone in the capital would like. And as for why not..." Kathryn trails off and sinks her teeth into her lower lip. "What's considered power in the capital is a target on your back out here."

Alicia rolls her stiff shoulders. "Exiles have no love for the elite of Muovea? Who would have thought?"

"You joke, Alicia, but you have to understand that there are no laws in the Dead Lands. People don't need an excuse to kill you, but if you give them one... Well, let's just say they'll smile while doing it."

Alicia nods, not surprised by this. She saw how lawless the south became during the war, she can only imagine what it's like beyond the walls. "Right, so no telling people that I was going to be the future Queen of Muovea."

"Keep it to yourself."

She chews on the inside of her cheek as she brushes her fingers over the notebook in her lap. "I suppose I shouldn't tell people that the grand duke has an army of immortal warriors he could use to kill everyone."

Kathryn chokes on her next breath. "Please, gods, don't tell anyone anything if you don't want to start another war."

Alicia sighs and tucks the notebook back into her pack, knowing she's going to have to find a place to hide it eventually.

For now, she has to get accustomed to life as an exile. She had plenty of practice as the Raven in the slums.