Estera was hiding in the shadow of a doorway when Samson exited the Weather Room. She had planned to sneak inside to eavesdrop on them, but opening the door to the basement would've made too much noise. Part of her wanted to wait for Magnus to come out, but her instincts told her to follow Samson instead. He was suspicious during their trip to the trading post, and she was lucky he didn't see her talking to Dev.

So, if she was going to put a stop to his skepticism, then she needed to be more watchful and figure out how to mislead him.

Tiptoeing a careful few paces behind, she kept to the shadows, avoiding the other citizens still wandering around. He walked across town before pausing between two buildings, squatting, and lifting a sewage cover. He disappeared inside, and her gut twisted with the question of whether or not to follow him down there. But how would she get answers if she didn't take risks? Stepping out of the darkness, she made her way into the sewer and landed with a soft splash. Samson was several feet ahead, with a lantern in hand casting bursts of light onto the path. He paused to glance over his shoulder, which forced her to flatten herself against the cold masonry of the tunnel. When he proceeded forward, she waited for a few beats before emerging.

The tunnel was long, and every once in a while, she could feel the brush of a chilly breeze, but from which direction she couldn't tell. On the other hand, the squeak of rats skittering across the shallow water, was very much apparent as the weight of their tiny bodies raced over her boots, several times.

When he reached the end, Samson opened a gate that enclosed the sewage tunnel from the outside. Its hinges screeched in protest as he slid through, and her heart thumped while she waited for her turn. She had no idea what waited on the other side, and for all she knew, Samson was aware of her presence. Maybe even betting on her following him?

After sneaking through the gate, she crawled up a ravine to remain hidden amongst the wild grass and thicket of trees. In the distance, the light from the lantern in Samson's hand was the only thing that made him visible in the dark evening hour. He crouched by a creek, it's water a glittery current under the spotlight of the luminous moon. Twigs snapped somewhere nearby, and Estera jerked her neck in its direction while feeling around on the ground for a rock to defend herself. However, two people, Samson's age, emerged from the trees and rushed up to him.

"Dude, where've you been? We've been out here for thirty minutes, waiting," one of them complained, and Estera recognized him from the celebration.

"Sorry, Abel. Got into it with my brother."

"Do you want to talk about it?" the girl asked.

"No, but thanks, Izzy."

"Well, the best way to get over a fight..." Abel struck a match and cupped the flame while bringing it to his face. "Is to inhale a big puff of this."

"So, what's the deal with that girl?" Izzy asked. "Did you find out anything at the trading post?"

"Not really, but I've got her cornered. There's no way I'm letting her take advantage of my brother."

"Take advantage? From what I've heard, no one's gotten into your brother's pants in years. He's too focused on work," Abel replied with smoke escaping his mouth.

"Never underestimate us women." Izzy wagged her finger. "If we want something badly enough, we'll get it."

"Guys..." Samson said. "I think she's from the south."

"What!" Izzy and Abel exclaimed.

"I saw her talking to someone, and I just have this feeling, you know?"

"So, what are you gonna do?" Abel asked.

"I don't know. But I think I should tell my father."

"Well, whatever you decide, we have your back," Izzy replied.

"Anyway, we didn't come out here to talk about my family drama. Ready to hunt the creatures of the night?"

"Let's do this!"

They picked up their bows and arrows, and headed deeper into the forest, with Estera following them. She wasn't sure what would happen next, or if it was even a good idea to go after them, yet her feet traced their steps anyway.

After a few minutes, they gave each other hand signals and split off in different directions. Everything inside her said to turn back, to look for Magnus, and find out what the fight with his brother was about. Yet, she ignored the pinch at her neck, warning her not to pursue Samson.

Wind combed its fingers through the trees, causing the leaves to rattle, and somewhere in the distance, an animal howled. Estera's flesh ignited with goosebumps, but she kept pushing forward and ducked behind a tree when Samson paused to examine his surroundings. She concentrated on his moon-lit silhouette as he aimed his bow and released. The arrow soared like a bolt of lightning and stabbed into the tree just a few feet from her. There was a short squeak from a small animal, and then silence as Estera's breaths became heavy stones in her throat.

"Yes!" Samson congratulated himself and approached the tree to remove the pinned squirrel. Estera ducked down when his eyes shot in her direction.

"Izzy?" he called out.

When she heard the snapping of twigs, indicating he was approaching, she tried crab-walking backward to the next tree. As she created distance between them, his form dissolved from her peripheral vision, and the anxiety of it froze her. Where was he?

Suddenly, her scalp lit on fire as a firm hand wrapped around her hair and pulled her head back.

"You!" Samson glared down at her, and Estera's sense of fight or flight kicked in with the weight of her fist into his jaw.

The pressure building on her head finally released, freeing her to scramble to her feet, but he lunged for her and wrapped his arms like a vice. She gritted her teeth against the pain rolling in shock waves from her wounded arm, up to her neck, and began kicking. Then, with all of his force, he slammed her into the tree, pinning her in place with his forearm against her throat.

"Why did you follow me!" he growled.

Instead of answering, she drove her knee into his genitals, and he staggered back, groaning while cupping himself.

"Men always leave their weakest part open..." She circled him.

"I don't know what your plan is," he said through a grimace. "But, I won't let you hurt my family or this place."

"Why couldn't you just leave me alone?"

"Because I know what you are!"

"Then why not just out-me to your father, or Magnus, and get it over with?"

"Because it's more fun to watch you squirm!" He threw a clump of dirt at her face, causing her to flinch, but the tiny twigs, and threads of moss embedded her eyes, stinging them.

Stumbling, she blinked rapidly, but could only see his blurry movements in the dark cast of night. With no other choice, she spun and ran.

Branches whacked at her face, creating tiny cuts, but despite the burn of frosty wind against them, she kept running. Behind her, twigs snapped and splintered under Samson's heavy footfalls, his breaths so loud she could almost feel its moisture on her neck. She swatted her arms, trying to disentangle the branches from the path as she continued blinking to wash out the dirt. Up ahead, a clearing in the trees opened up, but Samson's hands were upon her, snatching the back of her shirt.

"Look out!" he shouted, yanking her backward, but she spun to counter him and blindly shoved him forwards. His scream pierced her eardrums but faded quickly as if the earth had swallowed it. She fell to her knees, searching the ground in front of her, and soon, her hands met with the edge of a cliff. A sharp gasp filled her lungs, the cold night air charring them with realization. Rubbing her eyes, her vision finally cleared as she starred down into a canyon where the faint outline of Samson's body was sprawled at the bottom.

"No," she whispered, but her head twitched in the direction of the voices fast approaching.

"It sounded like it was coming from over here..."

Not wanting to stick around and be found guilty, Estera shot to her feet and ran.

∆∆∆

When she made it to street level within the wall, she headed for the Weather Room to look for Magnus. The entire way she told herself that it had been an accident, and if she confessed now, perhaps he would take mercy on her? Cold sweat dripped from her temples, so she used the hem of her new shirt to wipe it away, and make herself more presentable. Warmth filled the corridor leading to the main area, where darkness blanketed the workstations, aside from the flicker of radar patterns flashing across the screens on the wall.

She walked to the office door, where the slightest lamp light reflected against the frosted glass. Pushing on it, it creaked open to reveal Magnus laying across the couch and holding ice to his face.

"What happened to you?" She stepped inside.

"Nothing. I'm just clumsy." He bolted upright and scooted to the edge of the couch. Yawning, he studied her from across the small office. "Are you ok?"

"Fine."

"Come sit down." He patted the couch cushion, so she went to him with heavy footsteps, but instead slid onto his lap, hoping to alleviate the blow of what she was about to confess. She pulled on a smile, even though her heart was beating so rapidly she could feel it in her throat.

"So, this is where you lay your head while I sleep in your bed? It doesn't seem very comfortable."

"I've gotten used to it, and I should be here anyway in case our radar spots a good storm."

"The work never stops, huh?"

"Nope." He shook his head and lifted her chin to look her in the eyes. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"I..."

The words were so close to tumbling from her lips, but as she looked into the kind brown windows of his soul, her confession receded into the pit of her stomach where it churned. She closed her eyes and swallowed the saliva quickly gathering in her mouth. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close, and she pressed her face to his chest. Maybe it was all a dream? Except, she knew that it wasn't, and hearing the gentle thump of his heart - knowing the trust that caused it to pulse so calmly fo her - she couldn't tell him what happened to Samson. There was no way.

Besides, warriors didn't apologize for taking down an enemy.

"Estera, you're trembling," Magnus breathed into her ear. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yes, just cold," she replied quietly, which spurred him to rub circles into her back, warming her.

"Well, since you're here, I need to talk to you about something. Earlier, Samson said that at the trading post, he saw-"

Estera's eyes widened with her face tucked against his chest. She was not in the right frame of mind to talk about what Samson saw, so she had to change the subject. Lifting her head, she pressed a kiss to his mouth to silence him. At first, his lips were stiff, but then they moved with hers. It was only a temporary solution, but the distraction would buy her time until she could figure out what was coming next.

When their kiss deepened, she pulled away just enough to remove her shirt, and then brought her mouth back to his while saying, "I think we should finish what we started the other night, don't you?"

Magnus replied by quickly unbuckling his pants.

∆∆∆

When Estera awoke, it was to the distant call of a familiar voice, and then a blurry figure barging into the darkened office. Lights flicked on, blinding her in its sudden brightness, and she felt Magnus jolt upright next to her.

"Christ, Magnus!" Mira slapped a hand over her eyes and spun around. "Get dressed."

"What time is it?"

"Two in the morning."

"Is there a storm? I didn't hear radar go off, or an alarm."

"Just get dressed!" her voice cracked.

"Mira, what is going on?"

"It's your brother."

Magnus slid into his pants and shirt in a matter of seconds, his voice suddenly on edge, "What's wrong with Sammy?"

"I'll explain as we go. Now come on!"

Estera struggled to get her shirt on, so he helped her slide it over her bandaged arm, and then took her hand, pulling her through the door. She barely had a chance to shove her feet into her boots and could hear her laces slapping against the cement floor as they charged out of there. They headed straight for the front gates, where a few citizens were rushing through to get to the van waiting for them. Painted on the side of it was a medical sign, and Estera felt her skin grow cold.

"Samson was out with his friends, and he fell into the canyon that's north of the river," Mira explained with urgency, her breaths quick. "Jupiter is already on his way out there. Rafi and Zemora should be pulling up with one of the trucks any second now."

"Please tell me he's alive..." Magnus let out a wail.

Estera could see Mira's lips moving, but she couldn't register the sound as everything in her mind became white noise. The only thing she could discern was Magnus gripping her hand, and little did he know, he was holding the hand of a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Her body was numb. If Samson were alive, he would tell everyone what happened...

She was done for, and she needed to run.