There was a balance to the world that had always seemed beautiful to Emery Rowe. Every action has consequences. If one performed respectable actions, they were rewarded with accolades and praise; If they committed atrocities, they were punished in a severity equal to the weight of their crime. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and the last man standing at the end was the better of them all. It was a savage truth—one that the world seemed content to turn a blind eye to. But not him. He hadn't ripped and clawed his way from beat cop to detective by burying his head in the sand and praying that the world would just get along.

Of course, he'd had a bit of a rocky start as a rookie—all great men were hindered in their rise to the top and it only made their successes that much sweeter. His Sergeant had had it out for him something fierce and held Emery at fault when their suspect had fled, only to find his way to the wrong end of the baton. Emery had merely obeyed the laws of the universe when he brought his asp down over the male's brow, his hands, his hips, his wrists...it was justice. His commanding officers had just been too blind to see it, so busy with their heads up their own superiors' asses and remarking loudly about the pleasant aroma as they grasped for their promotions with greedy hands. He'd been terminated immediately.

It was a ridiculous call. If he wasn't meant to keep the universe in balance, then what was he supposed to do? It was the only option he had left when he went to his girl and told her they were moving out of that ridiculous metropolis and going far, far away where the blight of ignorance didn't cloud the minds of the peacemakers. It had been a whimsical time: she had followed so obediently with her eyes sparkling and lips begging to offer him her compliance. But, he should've known what a cesspool like Zuzu City would have done to her.

She had been so perfect when they met—a precious doll for him to dress and bend to his whims. His sweet little Lilah, so desperate for his love and guidance. This city had turned her sick and black inside; her defiance rearing its ugly head over the most inconsequential matters. She seemed to have forgotten who she was, why she was there, why he had picked her. She seemed to forget what happened to those that were so full of sin, they couldn't be cleansed—it was as if she didn't even care about all the effort he'd put into training her.

"Looking at that again?" Ramirez sidled up to his desk with a steaming mug of coffee in one hand, "World's Okayest Detective" branded along the side. He placed a warm paw-like hand on Emery's shoulder, giving him a familial squeeze in what he must have thought was reassurance. "We'll find her, brother."

"I'm not even angry anymore, Eddie." Emery sighed and placed the Missing Persons bulletin flat on his desk, the eyes of his sweet, tame girl glittering out towards him. "I mean it. I forgive the cheating, I forgive her running away, everything, I just want her back."

"I know." Ramirez nodded sympathetically and looked at the picture. Emery pulled the copy of the "Zuzu Times" that'd been untouched on his desk in front of him, blocking her shining face from his partner's view.

"She just hasn't been the same since she lost the baby. We used to be so happy...All I want is for things to go back to how they used to be."

"She needs help. You love her more than anything, hopefully she'll be able to see that. But try not to obsess too much. Captain is already riding my ass to turn over the case— you know what a conflict of interest this is."

Emery's jaw clenched. His fingers tapped against his desk in agitation.

One-two...three...four...One-two...three...four...One-two...

Until the rage settled and he could think clearly. No one else could be there when she came back to him. No one else should ever be able to look at her again. It was the only way to keep her pure and perfect.

"I have to be the one to find her."

Ramirez took a deep drink of his coffee, slicking his hand through the charcoal mess of his thick hair, stray strands flopping back against his copper forehead and curling in rebellion. His hair was always so thick and untamed, Emery wanted to chop it all off.

"We still need to follow up on the Freneau case. Afterwards, let's hit the pavement and see what we can dig up. Sound good?" He had been like this ever since Emery had come to their precinct. Eddie Ramirez was a man of the people, eager to help anyone and everyone and defend the weak. He was one of the foolish dreamers that wanted a smiling world...what a waste of a good cop.

Still, Emery agreed—if only to get him away from his desk. He watched his partner walk away and scowled to himself as he looked down at the front page of the newspaper. He never liked the news, as biased as biased could be, but something about it seized his attention before he could toss it in the garbage where it belonged.

Love is in the Air: Stardew Valley's Pelican Town Holds Centennial Flower Festival

The headline was tripe. Such a ridiculous event being deemed front-page-worthy was exactly why he couldn't stand the media. The picture filled up half the page, displaying a mass of people in semi-formal attire dancing in the middle of a field—even country bumpkins needed entertainment, he supposed—with flowers filling up any empty space. The dancers seemed lost in their own worlds, some pressed up against each other intimately while others held each other at arm's length as they smiled awkwardly. Most of the subjects were young, teens and young adults that had probably never left that nowhere-town in their life. A scarlet faced blond man held a dainty redhead at the forefront of the image, though he was looking over her head and looked more like he was about to piss himself than enjoying a night of romance. He ripped his eyes away from the couple, scanning the faces of the crowd to try and quell the sourness spreading across his tongue. It was on the opposite side of the picture, through the gaps of other merrymakers, that Emery found what his gut had known he had been looking for.

There she was, his girl, wrapped in the arms of some punk-kid with his lips a breath away from her ear. There was hardly any space between their bodies, just enough to allow movement, but he recognized Lilah's pleading eyes and parted lips. It was an expression reserved only for him—given to him less and less often since they had come to the city. He only saw it lately when he smacked it out of her, made her beg for his body rather than his fists. It more than enough evidence to suggest she would be even closer to that bastard if the opportunity presented itself. What were they whispering about? How many times had that slut let the punk fuck her that night alone? He'd always known she was easy, but they had worked long and hard to drill into her the importance of staying faithful to only him.

That useless bitch had forgotten who she belonged to.

He crushed the newspaper in his fists and shoved it into the wastebasket beside his desk. He rose from his chair, keeping his movements slow and controlled, and grabbed his coat and holster. He couldn't afford to lose this case now, losing his temper would get him booted faster than Ramirez could give him that staple sympathetic frown of his. He needed to work smart, to take his time to carefully weigh her transgressions and determine a fitting punishment so she would never run away from him again.

Every action has consequences.

Lilah stretched out on the faded black couch in Sebastian's room. The leather stuck to the thin film of sweat coating her skin, peeling away with a revolting schluck every time she shifted to try and get comfortable. It was the apex of the summer season. The valley bathed in hellish heat that radiated from the cobblestone streets even in the early morning and late evening. The basement room of 24 Mountain Road offered a reprieve, naturally cooler than the rest of the house and infinitely more so than Haven these days.

A partnership with Pierre's General Goods shop had insured Lilah a steady income when it came to her harvests— countless nights spent studying artisanal techniques to make jams and juices, pickles and preserves, had provided much-needed longevity to her crops that she hadn't even considered when she first started planting. Selling those items through the local stores meant she wouldn't have to worry about wasted product once they fell out of season. The profit from her first month partnering with Pierre had built her most coveted bathroom, though Lilah instantly regretted not ordering an air conditioning unit first once the temperature started climbing with no sign of stopping.

She'd found herself escaping to Bas's basement more often than not in the past few weeks. She'd smuggle Lumos in with her most days to save the rapidly growing feline from the sweltering heat of the farmhouse. It was an odd feeling to watch him bask on the very couch that she and Bas had decided on his name while surrounded by fantasy novels for inspiration.

She was cat-less for the day— Lumos finding a much more preferable haven in a small cave a minor earthquake had opened on the north end of the farm earlier that season (though after one-too-many "gifts" of mangled bats left on her pillow, Lilah sincerely considered sealing the place up) — but the couch did not feel any cooler despite the lack of her furry companion. Her hair stuck to the back of her neck, her tank top plastered against even the most unflattering curves of her body, and she felt like she would never be able to shower off the feeling of her own sweat until autumn finally arrived.

"Are you going to be okay during the luau? You sound like you're dying already," Sebastian asked from his desk, more amused than annoyed as she huffed once again and ripped herself from the cushions.

"Sorry, I just can't get comfortable. I can head out if I'm bothering you." Lilah grimaced, tugging her shirt away from her chest.

"I didn't say that." The gentle hum of the fans of his desktop cut off abruptly, dousing the room in a silence that may as well have been a clap of thunder in her ears. Sebastian pushed away from his desk, tapped his cigarette pack against his thigh and flipped the top open. He considered them for a moment, then closed the box and shoved it into his pocket without retrieving one.

"It's going to be packed since they're preparing for the party, but did you want to cool off at the beach?" he offered.

Lilah shifted, pulling her hair over her shoulder to air out her neck.

"As nice as the ocean sounds right now, I don't have a swimsuit—I don't really like wearing one in front of people, anyway."

Sebastian only nodded. He was the one person that she didn't need to elaborate to— the other half privy to a secret better kept lost and buried where it never need be found again. The burns he'd seen, the scars he'd yet to discover, he didn't judge her any less for them or try to convince her that they didn't matter. He accepted them as a part of her, never shied away from them but never gave them more attention than they deserved. There was an understanding there, something more real than mere sympathy, and Lilah wondered if she'd ever find out where it rooted inside of him.

He paced across the floor in thought. His signature hoodie was folded, forsaken, over the back of his chair and his black undershirt left little to the imagination as he flexed his arm to card a hand through his hair, forcing the lean muscle of his bicep to strain against pale skin. All the lifting and carrying he'd done to aid his mother's business paid off when it came to minor movements like this, and Lilah conceded that the unforgiving summer may not have been the only factor in the heat spreading throughout her body.

Whatever they were to each other still remained nameless. Lilah knew that Sebastian still dreamt of living the city life— he had been in correspondence with a repeat client that grew ever more interested in his skills with each contract he fulfilled. She tried not to dwell on it too often, focusing her energy on enjoying what time they had left together. She knew life would split them sooner rather than later—no matter how naturally their hands sought out each other whenever they were in reach; no matter how much later their visits together ran, embracing with kisses dancing around labels that neither would ever be able to claim. She only wished her heart didn't ache every time the thought crossed her mind.

"I have an idea," Sebastian said.

Lilah tilted her head, watched him move to his closet with curiosity as he pulled out a couple jackets, two pairs of gloves, and scarves. She almost fell off the couch when he retrieved a medieval-style mace from deep in the closet, weighed it in his hands, then packed it and the clothing into a dark duffle bag.

"Where are we going that you'll need that?!"

"It's more of a precaution," he assured her, then paused and dug back through the closet. "Here, you should take this."

A knife rested in his palm, the worn leather scabbard it was sheathed in extended slightly longer than his hand. He offered it to her and zipped up the bag as she rose from her seat to examined it. The handle was heavier than she had anticipated but it felt solid in her grip. She carefully unsheathed the blade, cautious of the sharp edge that almost glittered despite the dim light of Sebastian's room. It was more of a dagger than a knife, she supposed— very similar to the kind her character in Solarion Chronicles might use.

"Do you think you can use it?" Sebastian asked, slinging the bag over his shoulder.

"Sure. Pointy end goes into the other guy." She sheathed the dagger and secured it to her belt. Sebastian smirked and led her upstairs. He went to the kitchen and gathered some bottles of water, slipping them into the bag as well before they left the house. A blast of heat rolled over them as soon as the front door was open and Lilah groaned.

"Don't worry. It's not a long walk and it'll be worth it," he promised. He led her north, past the shimmering lakes that dotted the mountain top. She realized where he was taking her as they crossed a thick wooden bridge across one of the streams flowing into the largest lake.

"The mines?" The apprehension in her voice slowed their pace and Sebastian glanced over his shoulder at her.

"The floor we're going to isn't dangerous but I've learned the hard way not to come down here without any protection at all. The worst we'll have to deal with is some slimes on the way and they'll leave you alone as long as you stay away from their nests."

"Oh, great," Lilah laughed weakly. Her apartment building in the city had gotten a slime infestation the second year they'd lived there. It was like a horror movie every time she turned on a faucet or tried to take a shower as a seemingly endless stream of gooey slime drooled out of her taps and clogged the weren't necessarily dangerous but they were definitely unpleasant critters to deal with.

"We can go back if you don't want to go in," he offered.

Lilah considered it, taking in the gaping maw of the cave as though it were the jaws of some ferocious beast. It was as inviting as a crocodile's smile, beckoning them inside for a meal of Sebastian and Lilah, served fresh from the farm. She looked to Sebastian. He waited patiently despite the sweltering heat, didn't try to push her one way or the other. She didn't know how many times he had delved into those tunnels that ran beneath the town, though she trusted he wouldn't lead her somewhere overly dangerous.

"No." Lilah shook her head. "Let's go."

Sebastian's eyes narrowed, pleased, and he took her hand. The difference in temperature was immediate, the shade inside the stone cavern much more manageable than the direct sunlight outside. He led her to the far wall where an ancient lattice gate separated an elevator from the rest of the cave. Despite how old it looked, the gate slid open with only minor squeaks of protest.

The elevator seemed to hold their combined weight with no difficulty. It was small—almost closet-sized—with a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling that bathed the car in a sickly yellow light. The panels at both sides of the door were adorned with buttons apparently marking each floor. Some appeared to have been removed while others were completely taped over.

"They had to mark off floors that are infested or caved in," Sebastian explained as her eyes lingered a moment too long on the buttons. He hit the button for the 60th floor and moved his hand to Lilah's back to steady her as the doors squealed shut and the elevator jolted to life.

"It runs a lot deeper than I thought it would," Lilah confessed.

"There are over one hundred floors, at least. But no one really goes too deep when they come down here. There was a group called the Adventurer's Guild that mapped out most of the deeper tunnels long before I was born. They're all old men now and, as far as I know, no one has gone on a full blown expedition since they disbanded."

"Do you come down here a lot?"

"Yeah. I used to hide out here when I was a little kid all the time. I always felt safe down here…" his voice trailed off. His expression darkened, eyes focusing somewhere far away that Lilah knew she'd never see no matter how hard she strained.

"Bas?" She rested a hand against his chest, startling him without meaning to. He met her concerned frown with a small smile and covered her hand with his.

"Anyway, I've been wanting to take you here for a while. I really think you'll like it." He held her hand and laced their fingers as he watched the orange lights on the wall display the floors they passed.

The temperature seemed to drop with each floor they descended until she was certain she saw the mist of her own breath. She exhaled again, a bit more forcefully, and watched the cloud disperse in front of her.

"Almost there." Sebastian grinned, almost childlike. "Do you need a coat?

"I'm fine for now." She nestled herself into his side for warmth, smiling when he leaned into her. Knowing that he had been thinking of her, that he had wanted to bring her to a place that was special to him left her feeling giddy with anticipation...but there was also a dark feeling underneath the excitement. How much longer would he be able to think of her? How long until he took her to a special place for the last time and finally left her behind? She shoved the thought away, choosing instead to watch the illuminated numbers blink with each passing second.

57…

58…

59…

The elevator came to a trembling stop. Sebastian smiled and moved in front of her, taking both of her hands in his.

"Close your eyes?" He looked so eager, Lilah couldn't help but acquiesce. He was so excited to be with her in that moment, she didn't have the right to mourn the future.

She closed her eyes just as the grating of the elevator doors opening echoed through the caves. Sebastian led her by her hands until the clanging metal sound beneath her boots was replaced by a soft crunch. She tilted her head but kept her eyes closed until Sebastian finished leading her wherever it was he was taking her. Eventually his hands left her and she felt the warmth of him move to her side.

"Okay. Go ahead and look."

Lilah slowly opened her eyes, her vision adjusting to the oddly bright light that lit the cave despite them being dozens of floors below ground. With a gasp, she realized it wasn't just the lighting that was bright: the entire floor was blanketed in pure white as though it were midwinter rather than summer. Near the far end of the cavern was what appeared to be a lake, ice sealing off the surface of the water and glinting in the lights hanging from the walls. Curiously, she bent her knees and picked up a handful of the white powder at her feet.

"It's cold!" She exclaimed in delight.

"It's snow," Sebastian laughed. "It's always winter down here."

Lilah tossed the snow in her hand up into the air, grinning as it showered down around her. It didn't snow much in the city, not enough to have any fun with it and it was always ruined by heavy foot and vehicle traffic. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen so much snow to enjoy, couldn't resist running through and watching the trail her boots left on the floor. All she wanted to do was flop down on her back and roll in it like a child.

"Lilah," Sebastian called from back near the elevator. He had already pulled on a light coat from his bag and held another out towards her in his gloved hand. Lilah hurried to his side and she took the coat and gloves he offered. His clothes were so much larger on her. His coat fell down to her mid-thigh and she could fold the fingers of his gloves nearly in half over her fingers. She laughed at how small she felt, adjusting the gloves so she could at least marginally use her hands if needed. She looked up to thank him, cheeks aching sweetly from how much she had been smiling since they arrived.

Her words died in her throat at the feeling of his lips pressing softly between her brows, warming her inside and out as he wrapped his scarf around her. Enveloped in the scent of pine, cedar, and tobacco, the softness of his kiss on her forehead kept her rooted to the spot and shattered her heart.

It shouldn't have surprised her. Such a simple, innocent kiss shouldn't have made her feel as though she couldn't go on without it. Yet, every part of her seemed to cry out when he pulled away.

"Sorry. You just...look really cute," Sebastian looked away, the redness on his face too stark to be just from the chill, "I couldn't help it."

"You don't have to apologize. We've kissed before." Lilah tried to laugh it off, but there was a tightness in her chest that refused to ease up.

"In that case..." Sebastian's hands moved from the scarf around her neck to her jaw, brushing some of her hair away from her face with his fingers. He dipped his head to kiss her properly, cradling her face in his hands like she would break apart without them. Lilah didn't think that was too far from the truth. She was happy— she could say with confidence that she had never been happier— but something in his kiss was bittersweet. Something in the softness of his skin against hers only served as a grim reminder: no one had ever kissed her like he did...and no one ever would again. With that simple display of affection, their nameless relationship felt more like a fanged creature lurking in the shadows— the sheer joy she felt in his company overshadowed by a hulking beast salivating overhead.

Life would separate them eventually. She had accepted that, been content with the idea that they could comfort each other without things becoming too difficult. She thought she was fine with it...so why couldn't she kiss him back?

"Lilah?" Sebastian pulled away from her with a frown. She felt the heat of tears burn her cold-bitten cheeks faster than she could push away and scrub her face. She was being ridiculous, she knew. She wanted to live moment to moment, take the happiness where she could and accept whatever the future held, and here she was crying over something that hadn't even happened yet. Sebastian squeezed her to his chest, his head resting on top of hers as she tried to rein in her rogue tears.

"I'm sorry. I'm okay," she insisted. She tried to push away from his chest but he held fast, keeping her secure against him.

"You're not. What's wrong?"

Lilah swallowed thickly, forcing the emotion back as she tried to take deep breaths and calm herself. She couldn't be selfish. She had to reassure him and enjoy the time that they had together. It was the right thing to do.

"You're going to leave," she said instead. Her mind screamed out for her to stop, but her heart and lips had performed a hostile takeover and all she could do was let it happen. "Your dream is to leave Pelican Town and when you do...I promise I'll be happy for you. I want you to do whatever makes you happy but I can't help but think about not being able to see you anymore. I feel like whatever we're doing is just going to make that day so much harder to handle."

Sebastian didn't say anything for what felt like an eternity. His arms loosened from around her and Lilah mourned the loss immediately. Instead of moving away from her, he took her hands and met her eyes.

"Lilah, I was already offered the job back in May," he confessed, "I turned them down."

"You...what?" Lilah felt as though she had broken through the iced over lake just a few yards away, the freezing water shocking her still. "But what about what you've been working on lately?"

"It's a different company. It's more steady work than just freelancing and they have a remote position available, so I can still do everything from my own computer. I'm not going anywhere."

"Why didn't you say anything before? All this time..."

"All this time you felt relaxed because there were no strings attached, didn't you? You were happy because it didn't feel like we were rushing into anything or that something serious had to come out of it, right?"

"That's not the reason I'm happy," Lilah looked away with a grimace. Is that what he really thought? That after everything, she was happy just to use him to pass the time until he moved on?

"Okay," Sebastian sighed. "I'm sorry, that was the wrong way to put it. I just meant...I didn't want you to feel pressured by being with me."

"So you let me keep thinking that you were leaving?" Lilah wasn't sure how she felt. Elation swelled in her chest but it was chased by anger at having been kept in the dark. She tried to take her hands away from him but he wouldn't let her.

"I was going to tell you eventually. It's not like I was trying to keep it from you to mess with you." His voice sounded almost desperate, like she was disappearing from his grip right before his eyes and it was all he could do to hold her there lest she evaporate completely.

"I've been trying to accept the idea of you leaving for months," Lilah said, trying to keep her voice steady. She didn't want to be angry at him, but the heartbreak she had battled every time the idea of him leaving the Valley crossed her mind was egging her on. "If you really weren't messing with me, I don't see the reason for not telling me. I would have been happy!"

"I'm sorry," he said again, lowering his gaze to their feet. His miserable voice softened her ire a fraction, but her nerves still tensed as she waited for him to explain himself. "I obviously didn't think it through. I just wanted it to be a surprise when I—" he glanced back at her sheepishly, "—when I ask you to be my girlfriend."

Lilah's eyes widened, the silence in the cavern disrupted only by the thundering of her heart in her ears. His words had suckerpunched her square in the gut and knocked the air out of her lungs in a visible mist that cut through the chilled air. She had to say something, she knew, but she couldn't manage to form a response. His lachrymose expression only made her feel even more helpless as he looked down at her. She ripped her hands from his hold and threw her arms around his middle, clutching the back of his coat and burying her face in his chest while her brain tried to keep up with the range of emotions coursing through her.

Sebastian let out a breath of relief, hugging her tightly to his body and carefully lowering her to sit on his lap in the snow. When he spoke again, his voice shook—though Lilah wasn't sure if anything other than the cold could be to blame.

"I don't want to push anything on you or put you on the spot," he rasped, "I care about you...more than anything. I know you're probably not ready for that big of a step, but it's okay. I'll wait. I'll stay here with you until you are."

Lilah felt the tears welling up in her eyes again. She shook her head, lightly rapping her knuckles against his coat-padded back as she forced herself to find words amidst the chaos.

"You're a jackass," she said at last. It wasn't much but it was a start.

"I know."

She pulled away, eyes narrowed as she looked up at his face. He opened his mouth— probably to apologize again— but Lilah shifted her arms and put her fingers to his lips. Nestled in his hold, feeling his warmth around her and the thundering of his heart through his clothes gave her a clarity she knew that she could never achieve anywhere else. She had known what to say the moment the words left his lips, her hesitance in the past seemed so foolish and only contributed to lost time.

"I'm still upset with you," she continued. "Extremely upset. My boyfriend should have kissed me by now to make me feel better."

His dark brows shot to his hairline, mouth gaping beneath her hand. She pulled her fingers away and watched his expressions morph comically with each passing second.

"Wait... really? "

Lilah tilted her head expectantly, overflowing with joy at the grin that split across Sebastian's face.

He wasted no more time, pulling her into an intense kiss that sent them falling back into the snow. They rolled for a time down a soft slope hidden beneath the powder, kissing and laughing. Sebastian shielded her head from the ground as they tumbled, embracing her when they reached the bottom and he settled on top of her. His fingers carded through her hair as his lips claimed her again.

"I just had to bring you somewhere freezing," Sebastian whispered almost bitterly against her lips. He pressed himself against her, the extra layers between them seemingly as frustrating for him as they were for her. She tugged at his coat, teeth catching his lower lip in a playful nip.

"Come to Haven after the party tonight?" She offered.

"Absolutely."

They kissed until she thought the snow would melt around them.

Lilah all but sprinted home from the mountain path, a bright smile permanently plastered on her face. Sebastian had offered to walk her home— insisted, really— but the luau was starting soon and she knew neither of them would have time to get ready if he accompanied her home now. They'd sooner lose themselves in each other and despite how tempting that sounded, Lilah had actually been looking forward to the luau all month. Some ice still melted in her hair, cold trickles of water streaming down the back of her neck until she shivered. It'd be long gone by the time she hopped in the shower, but part of her wished it could remain as proof that everything had turned out as it did.

All the worries she had felt concerning her and Bas had been vanquished, leaving nothing but sheer euphoria in their wake. She felt like a teenager again, giddy in love for the first time...but this time was different.

This time her boyfriend— her boyfriend! — truly cared for her. He made her feel like the stars shone from her eyes, kissed and touched her like she was something precious, something human. Her heart was so full it was fit to burst from her chest at any moment and she lamented (though only for a moment) that she hadn't taken Bas up on his offer to walk her home. She was too excited to see him again in the next few hours, it was as if they hadn't spent the whole afternoon in each other's arms.

She wondered how Sam and Abigail would react when they told them— if they'd even be surprised at the declaration or exasperated that it hadn't happened sooner. She laughed as she realized it would more than likely be the latter, at least from Sam. She knew Abigail would be even more excited than she was, delighted that their relationship was "official" after pestering her about it nearly constantly since the Flower Dance three months ago.

Lilah skipped every other step up her front porch and reached for her house key in her back pocket...and frowned. The door was unlocked. Had she forgotten to lock up again that morning? She slipped the key back in her pocket and sighed, pushing the door open and stepping across the threshold. She didn't need to bother, she supposed. She didn't need to be afraid of anyone in Pelican Town.

Except for Sam , she smirked as she kicked the door closed behind her.

But there was no time to reflect on the memory before a large hand closed around her throat, lifting her effortlessly off the floor and pinning her against the wall. She barely managed a scream before its grip tightened, closing off her airway until all she could do was gasp fruitlessly for breath and kick out her legs, clawing at the fingers squeezing her neck.

A dark chuckle ripped through her ears and ice filled her veins— chilling her worse than the mines ever could.

"Welcome home, Kitten."