Katroina and Abigail had been shouting for the past hour, and Harriet had enough. She couldn't take it. The owner was out, but if she wasn't, Harriet was sure she's have kicked them all out.

She grabbed her coat off the hanger and pulled it on, looking around the room. Kadriq, Mina and Caleb were all in the foyer, Kadriq was on his phone and Mina and Caleb were watching the Lion King. "I'm going out, if anyone asks." She said, getting a nod from Caleb, but not much else.

Once she pulled the door open, she was pushed left by a gust of wind. Probably not the best conditions for walking. But she had to get outside.

The alchemist, Andrew, disturbed her. How had he known he was thinking about her family? And how had he made the loss of magic in the room physically affect her? She didn't think that was possible. How was it possible?

Now, she had time to think. Think about what she wanted to do.

The car...

It was just the hear of the moment. She didn't actually want to leave. Did she?

Maybe she did. Was that really so bad? But it was true. She shouldn't have been given so much responsibility when she was so young. Nine. She was nine when she was told she was the Chosen One.

What the fuck was Darian thinking?

That it was okay to tell an eight year old she was going to save the world?

Maybe he had done something wrong. It didn't mean she had to drop everything and just... Run.

But she was justified if she did.

"Harriet?" A voice. She'd heard it before, somewhere.

Where?

Harriet stopped, and turned around. She had somehow made it to a shopping mall. Union Square. They were in Aberdeen, then.

A shape, seemingly made of darkness was making it's way over to her.

A boy.

Kadriq.

"Hi, Kadriq. You spoke just then." She pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"I did." He muttered, looking away.

"Don't stop now, I like your voice." Harriet turned around and kept walking. Why was Kadriq here? And why was he actually speaking?

He was speaking.

That was new.

"Go die."

"You want me to die? Chosen One, that isn't very becoming of the Earth's savior."

"You are unbearable."

"Oh crap. Darian taught you English, didn't he?"

The mage sounded confused. "How did you know?"

"Katroina, Xavier and Darian's speech patterns. None of them use shortened words. Of course, it was just a guess."

Intelligent guess.

You know we could just be speaking out loud, right?

My English isn't that good.

Harriet shoved her hands into her pockets, slightly annoyed that she couldn't have any time alone. But pissing off the Chosen One wasn't that bad of a way to spend her evening.

You're thinking in English.

No, thoughts are just a universal language. You might think you're thinking in English, but it's actually a different language.

I'll listen to the telepath. That's kinda cool.

Yeah. Kinda.

They walked along in silence. Slightly awkward silence.

She should hate the Chosen One. She had hated him for a while, after all, he had taken her life. But now... She wasn't sure it was a bad thing. If she had stayed with Darian any longer, she might have been even harder to sway. She could have been supporting a rule where free will was just a distant memory.

And the man in the room. The Compliant. That could be her. It was terrifying. That could be anyone, really.

But she wouldn't help after the King was dead. She wanted to say she would, but she knew she wouldn't. Once her part was over, she would leave. Except she wouldn't be the one killing Darian. It would be Kadriq.

She looked across at him now, at the Chosen One. He knew what he had to do, after all, he had been the first to volunteer to help. He needed a reason.

Why did you volunteer?

He looked sharply at her, and then away. That's my business.

Harriet sighed, and fixed her gaze on the grey paving stone's below her feet. Of course it is. How about we start with something easier. Why are you here?

The mage shrugged. Katroina and Abigail were arguing.

Harriet had half a mind to say 'nope', but refrained. She pressed her lips together, more because she had no idea what to do with her mouth. Or her hands, for that matter. Pissing you off?

Yes. That was a crude way to put it.

You can't say anything about crude.

Neither can you.

Excuse me? She placed a hand to her chest and gasped. Slightly overdone. Eh. Caleb was better at it.

We should probably go back and check if anything's happened.

Slightly taken aback, she nodded. Yeah, probably.

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, and picked it up. Mina's caller ID flashed on the screen, and she pressed accept, holding it to her ear.

"Meens? What happened?"

Mina's voice sounded slightly distorted, probably because of the phone.

"Xavier's dead, get back quickly."

Harriet froze and turned to Kadriq, mouthing 'Xavier's dead'.

What?

Xavier's dead. She had forgotten about the telepath thing.

"Katroina?"

"Just get here." The call cut off and she ran her hands through her hair in frustration. She cursed and put her phone back in her pocket, running back the way she'd come.

Where are you going?

Where are we going, you mean. She didn't bother looking back, only speeding up.

Kadriq was right on her heels, and she was greatful he had just followed. It was much easier.

A/N:
Happy Valentine's Day! (Even though it's purely a commercial holiday and and I highly disapprove of it. And even though it's a bit late.) Anyways, this chapter was a bit unneeded, but oh well.