"You know we can't stay here forever," Conrad says, as we sit down in the living room after hours of intense training. I nod, but I hate it. Here's been so close to normality, I want to stay here.
"It might not seem like it, but they are still looking, for you in particular." Ah, yes. I'm Number Two, lucky me, and because One was killed about three years ago, I'm next.
"I know." We sit in silence for a few minutes, until I speak up again.
"How long do we have left here?" Conrad thinks for a few seconds.
"We have no reason to think they know where we are - it's been three years since One was killed, but first sign of Mogs and we run. There's the London safe house for a last resort, but I'm thinking Scotland next." That's what I love about my Cêpan - he's so organised, and he knows me so well.
In the mood for a lighter topic, Conrad leaves the living room and returns with a book.
"Pride and Prejudice!" I exclaim. I actually can't believe it! I love reading, so so much. It's an escape from my hopeless situation, and in a book, I can go anywhere. At first, Conrad wanted me to train more, but he quickly realised that my intelligence would be just as great an asset in battle as brute force.
Conrad tells me that on Lorien in schools you didn't see weak people - everyone was strong, Garde and Cêpans alike. But the fact is, I'm never going to be as strong as Conrad. He's so fierce, and in our few Mog encounters, we've left nothing behind but mounds and mounds of ash.
"I thought you'd like it," he smiles, and we sit down by the fire, open our books and read.
Although he enjoys reading, it has taking a while to get into this routine. Our agreement is that we'll alternate evening activities between reading and extra training. I'm desperate for my Legacies to develop so I'll actually be of some use, but I'm still a few years from that.
A few hours later and I've finished the book. I get up and Conrad looks at me.
"Done? Already?" I grin and nod. "Honestly, Maggie, I don't know how you do it. Where I you going now?"
"I thought I'd get my camera and explore for a bit." And then come the questions.
"Do you have your phone?"
"First aid kit?"
"Emergency food rations?"
"Dagger?"
All of this, just to go outside! I hate what my life's turned into sometimes. Before One's death, I'd gone to school, had friends my own age. Then that scar burned into my ankle and Conrad uprooted us faster than you can say 'Lorien'.
Eventually he let me out, and as I walked towards the field where we kept our adorable goat, I saw someone standing there.