"Keep your head up. You have to focus on your target." Ada's voice echoed throughout the room.

There was me and ten other girls. Some were younger, some older. I don't know any of them.

We each stood upright a few meters apart while Ada walked around the room shouting orders.

Charles promised me he would be here, but he still hasn't shown up.

"Aim!" She screamed and we all pulled our guns from our belts at the same time and pointed them directly in front of us.

It was an easy move on the eye, but not really. The gun was way too heavy, and I wasn't the only one who had a problem with that.

A girl, a little older than me, stood a few meters in front of me. Her hand was slowly falling to the ground, but she tried to keep it in the air.

As Ada passed each of us, she stopped by her side. With a stick that had a sharp end, she damaged the skin on her hand with a quick movement.

The girl hissed in pain but said nothing.

"Just so you all understand, this is a basic gun. One of the lighter ones actually. Get used to it." She spat at the girl and continued her walk.

She slowly made her way to me. My hands were already burning, but I held the gun directly in front of me as well as my gaze.

Ada stopped next to me and I felt her looking down on me. I could imagine her black hair in a high bun. Her dark eyes that dug into the soul.

"Aim at me." I hesitated, and that was a mistake. With a quick movement, she scratched me across the cheek. "I told you to aim at me. That was an order." She said in a rough voice and this time I obeyed her.

I turned to the right, my gun pointed in front of me. But she caught it with one movement before I could aim and twisted my arm. I dropped the gun and she caught it before it hit the ground.

With the stick she had in her hand, she kicked my legs and I fell flat on my ass.

"Pathetic." She snorted. "Dismissed!" She yelled at everyone and they lowered their weapons to the body.

Everyone left slowly while I sat on the ground with my hand on my bloody cheek.

"I said something, didn't you hear?" I didn't look up at her. I only noticed the shadow that covered me. "Are you going to cry?"

"No." I clenched my jaw.

The blade appeared under my chin as she raised it and I finally looked at her. "No, what?" She raised an eyebrow.

"No ma'am."

"Forgive that tone if you don't want to come off bad, kid." She said between her teeth. "You won't last a month here." She snorted. "And if by some miracle you do, I'll make sure it's the last one."

It was like a shock when I woke up. I jerked my whole body as if I was hit with a stun gun.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Luna's bathroom and the bathtub I was in, around me.

"Eris, are you okay?" I heard from behind the door.

I breathed deeply, trying to calm my breathing. "Yes." I shouted back.

I placed my hand on my chest and tilted my head back until I hit the wall.

"Breathe." I said to myself.

I took a deep breath and held my breath before exhaling. I repeated it a few times before I was calm.

I slowly got out of the bath and wrapped a towel around myself. I drained the water from the bathtub and went out of the bathroom.

"You okay?" I heard behind me and turned to Luna, who was standing in the doorway of her room.

"Of course." I smiled and started walking into the living room to the travel bag that had my clothes in it.

"I heard you yesterday. And the night before. When was the last time you slept through the whole night?"

It will be almost a week, but that is not important.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I sleep well." I started rummaging through my things, looking for underwear and something to wear.

"I used to have them too, you know?" She said after a moment of silence.

"Have what?" I looked at her confused.

"Panic attacks."

"Panic attacks?" I snorted. "Don't talk nonsense. Nothing like that happened to me."

Maybe I'm a little on pins and needles, but that's about it. I don't have panic attacks. That's absurd.

"Eris, I was there, it's okay." She tried to calm me down, but it only pushed me out more.

"Look Luna, I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm fine, if you can't take it, that's not my problem."

I grabbed things from my bag and walked past Luna back to the bathroom and slammed the door behind me.

Panic attacks? Me? Oh please. That's absurd.

*****

I left Luna almost immediately. I wasn't in the mood for more of her therapy bullshit.

I decided that after a week it was time for me to visit Killian.

Yes, after a week.

After our conversation on the roof, he left, and before I woke up in the morning, both he and Finn were gone. Since then he has not contacted me in any way.

Maybe it's because his villa was in tatters when we left and he's fixing it right now.

Or there's a reason I don't know about.

Whatever it is, I'd rather spend my time looking for people, than be locked in an apartment. I haven't really done anything all week, and my ass is already hurting from all the sitting.

When I arrived at the driveway of the villa, there were two things that I immediately noticed. First, Killian increased the number of security guards. It seems quite reasonable. And second, his villa is perfectly fine.

How is that even possible?

I saw the damage done then and now it looks like nothing happened. There are no signs of a shooting or any attack.

The people in front of the entrance let me in. They were the same ones who were standing here last time. It's strange that they already know me here.

I headed straight to Killian's office because where else would he be? Without hesitation I opened the door and let me tell you, my eyes were just blessed.

I don't know why Killian had his shirt unbuttoned, but you won't see me complaining.

The white shirt hugged the muscles of his arms, but left me with a view of his beautiful tanned chest skin and stomach that only looked firm.

"You done staring?" He reminded me that the body also includes a head with a mouth.

"Why are you..." I didn't finish the sentence. I just stopped and let it hang in the air unanswered.

"I live here. I can do whatever I want." He said as if it was a matter of course.

"How did you fix all that damage so quickly?" I pointed behind me so he knew what I was talking about.

"Again. I live here. I won't be living in a damaged building."

He still didn't answer my question, but I'll pass on it.

"Why are you here?" He sat down at the table, and this is probably the first time he's paid attention to me while sitting at that table.

"I haven't heard from you all week."

"Don't tell me you were worried about me. Careful, I'll start to think you care about me." He said sarcastically.

"Oh come on." I snorted. "I was worried about my eight grand." I crossed my arms over my chest with a smile.

"Of course." The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, but only slightly.

"So? Has anything happened these past few days that I should know about?"

"No, not really." He shrugged. "Only that Abraham is dead."

"What?" I looked at him in surprise. What is it talking about?

"The men who came killed him. I guess they thought he wouldn't keep his mouth shut."

"Well, he told us the name." I said a little more quietly because I can already imagine his reaction.

"I told you to leave it at that." He said between his teeth.

This is the Killy I know so well.

"Okay. Okay." I put my hands in a defensive gesture. "Whatever you say."

"Also, you might want to check this out." He took out a folder from the drawer and threw it on the table.

I went to him and took it from the table. "What is it?"

"Every person Abraham has met in the last few weeks." Looks like someone has been busy here. "They are sorted by rank."

Of course, they are also somehow sorted. This guy has nothing to do but tidy up. Housewife much?

"And how is Finn?" I looked up from the folder only to find Killian staring at me. "What?" I frowned. "I was just asking." I shrugged my shoulders.

"He's fine." He answered hesitantly.

"That's good." Probably. "Wait." I looked around the room. "Where is Odin?" I looked at his bed at the table, which was empty.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you." His gaze fell on the bed. "During the shooting...he didn't..." He didn't finish.

"What?" I looked at him with sincere concern. That can't be true.

I expected maybe even a tear on his face when he looked at me, but the opposite was true. He was smiling at me from ear to ear. Correction, he was making fun of me.

"God you are such an idiot." My jaw clenched. "If I could, I would personally cut out your heart and let Odin eat it. But I don't want him to get poisoned, since your heart is."

Laughing. He was laughing at the top of his lungs and I was getting closer and closer to murdering him.

Although his laugh is one of the most beautiful I have ever heard, this is not funny.



For the first time in a long time, I was genuinely having fun. If I could take a picture of her face, I would.

She was worried about Odin, she was terrified when I made fun of her.

I don't know why it even occurred to me to say something like that. It just happened and I definitely don't regret it.

After a while, I calmed down my laughter and wiped away the tears that almost fell from my eyes.

I shifted my gaze to her and noticed how much different she looked than a moment ago.

Her breathing was rapid andshe was blinking fast. Her right hand was shaking slightly and it was obvious that she was trying to calm down. I don't think she's trying to cool down because she wants to kill me.

"Eris?" My tone sounded more apprehensive than I intended.

"I'm okay." She definitely doesn't sound like that and doesn't look like that at all.

"Odin's fine. He's probably in the garden." I tried to calm her down.

"Okay. I just...I just need air." She ran out of my office and for some unknown reason I immediately went after her.

I went out the back entrance just after her. The door didn't even close. With one hand resting on the wall and the other on her chest, she stood next to the pillar a few meters away.

"Eris?" I walked a little closer to her and noticed that her eyelids were tightly closed.

"Just give me a minute."

Quick breathing. Shaking hands. I've seen it before with Finn. Panic attacks.

"Eris, breathe."

"What do you think I'm doing?"

"Sit down." Without touching her, I reassured her that she would not accidentally fall. I whistled and waited for Odin to run out of the nearby bushes. He quickly ran to us and immediately sat down next to her. "See? Nothing happened to him. He's here."

"I'm fine, just a little upset." She grabbed her right hand to stop it from shaking.

"I know what a panic attack looks like."

"Are you kidding me, you're coming at me with this bullshit too?"

"Say what you want. A hot bath should help."

"I'm fine. Stop worrying." She finally let go of her hand and placed it on Odin, who just stared at us in confusion with his tongue sticking out.

"I'll get you water, wait here." I stood up and started walking back to the villa.

What the hell just happened?

****

Looks like Killian cares a little bit ;)

Hope you enjoyed. <3