“Sure,” I said.
Not much time had passed since then, but enough that the lingering scent of her vanilla perfume faded and the memory felt like a dream. Had she really cried? Had I really accepted ahug?
Leaving the rehab center with my head held high in broad daylight, I set off. The person I was staying with, the person IsaidI was staying with, treated me to lunch not far from the rehab center and then… I was on my own. My backpack held a change of clothes, some toiletries, and I carried my blanket under one arm.
This street was the same one I travelled on the night I escaped. This time I didn’t use a side street, sticking with the route that went through the heart of the busy downtown area instead of veering off and finding a quieter road. Quieter didn’t mean safer, as I found out last time.
There hadn’t been enough time to build up more stamina with PT, so my journey was slow going on foot. I needed to take frequent breaks and—
“Pardon me!”
With a line out the door of one sandwich place, a man nearly ran into me as the line moved. He even smiled and tossed me a cheery wave as he apologized, but it still made me stupidly nervous.
The street was even more packed with people and life in the daylight. Plus all the sights and sounds…I’d have to get used to it. I kept my head down and moved down the street, but the feeling of being watch never lessened.
What were my options? Another former captive let me use their address as my place of residence. They also let me know I was more than welcome to actually stay with them when leaving rehab. I could find a phone and call my friend…or…
Temple’s business card came with me on my journey. I took out the card, holding it in my fingers. Could I really call, could I really trust him to—holy shit.
Crumpled from being in my pocket, the crisp edge of the card had softened and now moved slightly in the wind. Or it seemed like the wind at first, until the edge shook almost violently, then darkened and crumbled. A thin layer of red became longer and longer until catching the rest of the paper and igniting.
Fire consumed the paper quickly and I dropped it on the sidewalk where black ash and a few sparks smoldered until there was nothing left. The charred remains blew away in the wind.
That, uh… thatcould notbe a good thing.
Similar to the card, I felt unease stir in my stomach and then catch and spread, making me feel cornered even on the open street. Panic threatened to consume me.Where do I go, what do I do? Think!
At first I thought my eyes played a trick on me. That man up ahead looked strangely like Temple, the same tall stature and mop of black hair. He subtly sniffed the air, like the smell of carnitas from the nearby burrito place attracted him, but no, he sought a specific scent, searching for me. His eyes swiveled and focused in a second later.
I froze, caught, instincts shouting at me to run away. I fought the urge. I had no idea whether to be grateful or furious he tracked me down.
“Have you been following me?” I demanded when we crossed the distance between us. “How long have you been watching me?”
“What? Aaron called the family you were staying with and struck out. I’m retracing the path you went down during your escape. I thought you might stick to main streets this time.”
“So you didn’t, uh, you didn’t burn your business card just now?”
“What, how the hell would I—shit.” His eyes widened in alarm. “This is what I came to warn you about. The Accelerant Coven is after you.”
“Who? The pyro psychos?” My heart thudded painfully in my chest as my eyes darted around the open street, full of so many unknown dangers and places to hide and wait to strike.
He nodded. "Do they have something of yours? Did they, I don’t know, pull out some hair or scratch you and draw blood?"
"My cane,” I realized. The one I had today was a replacement. “I left my cane behind."
"That would do it. They cast a tracking spell."
“Why are they even after me?”
“Retaliation.” They’re using me to get to the DSA? He saw my confusion and continued. “One guy versus five elemental mages? You kicked their asses and made them look weak. They’re out to settle the score.”
“What? What did I do?” Besides flail and stumble.
“We showed up right as they were blasted. I’m not sure what exactly you did or how.” His shrewd eyes assessed me as he put the pieces together. “Are you saying you don’t know either?”
“N-no. I really, I did something?”
“Yeah,” Temple said. Oh.
