Alistair stared at the porcelain door in anticipation as it creaked open.
A man walked through– familiar. Allistair's eyes widened, his brows drawing together. The bar man? How ?
He glanced towards Kieran who had already adjusted his stance to relaxation.
" Daemon, old habits die hard, don't they?" kieran asked, with a smirk.
Allistair's brows furrowed, Daemon? The bar man's name was Daemon ?
Multiple thoughts ran through his mind. How the hell did this Daemon find them ?
He reached out for the steel pen in his pocket, grabbing onto it and flung it at Kieran.
Kieran moved backwards as the pen reached for his throat. His throat bobbed, his head snapping towards Allistair. A brow raised.
" Tell me" Alistair said, his eyes flashing with suspicion and distrust, " how the hell ..did he know we came here?"
"how should I know?" Kieran replied, his voice heavy.
Allistair brought the pen closer, his hands clenched, his gaze distant.
" I learnt from a merchant …never to trust a merchant" he said, his anger boiling over. He wasn't a fool.
Kieran had been strange from the first meeting. It took him too long to accept that he can't actually put so much trust in him.
Kieran exhaled and grabbed his hand, pulling down the pen in one motion, " you would need a much better weapon to threaten me" he said swiftly as he made for the door.
Allistair's nose flared as he lunged forward. Kieran moved to the side. He missed and tripped downwards. He was caught mid-air, his knees knocked together.
Kieran's breath brushed against his neck. It came in short , sharp hitches. like an exhausted racer.
" If I wanted you dead, you'd be" he said in a hush, menacing tone and pushed him aside.
Allistair's hands clenched, his jaws tight. He stood erect, catching his breath and steadying his body.
He pressed his lips tight and glanced towards Daemon who leaned nonchalantly against the porcelain door.
Daemon looked different, he wasn't the bar man who appeared haggard but actually looked groomed and …. different.
Almost unrecognisable.
Allistair's chest felt heavy. He had been dragged into this world. A world he didn't know anything about. A world he couldn't trust anyone. He was already entangled that leaving was almost impossible.
" I don't trust you" he said to Kieran, who just smirked.
" Hmm, you shouldn't. That nigga once left me to die, after we shared …you know.. a moment" Daemon said in the most nonchalant way and waved, walking ahead.
Allistair's palms burned. Tyron's words overlapped with Caedmon's. Trust no merchant.
They walked out of the factory. The pungent smell was still as nauseous as before, except this time, they had to endure much longer.
Allistair's mind was a jumble of thoughts and plans.
If he walked away from here, away from the locket since it was stolen, he would be free. He could go back to his life, right ?
He would stay away from two merchants who he couldn't trust.
" I quit" he whispered and Daemon paused and turned to look at him.
" Did you….say something?"
" I wasn't talking to you" Allistair said and glanced at Kieran, "him"
Kieran's hands slowly tightened, a small smile tugged onto the edge of his lips.
" The locket is gone. I won't get involved anymore. stay away from now on" he said and Kieran adjusted a bit.
Kieran brushed his hair backwards. Flicking his tongue, as he pinched the flesh between his nose.
" You would give up on your mother's gift?"
" No, I'm giving up my uncle's curse" he said and began walking ahead.
He felt someone grab onto him and yank him back. " A gift? A curse. It was given to you. How could you give up? Do you think this would make your mother proud?" Kieran asked, his voice terrifyingly low and right.
Allistair pulled his hand away from his hold. His eyes flashing with anger. What? He wasn't allowed to leave now too?
" No, it won't. But I believe she would want me to stay alive" he said and walked away, his shoes stomping against the sand beneath.
His thoughts spiraled out of control. The most prominent being: did he really do the right thing? Was he free now ?
" You are making a mistake Pevensie" Daemon said, his voice loud enough for him to hear.
Allistair said nothing, only silence. The biggest mistake he made was not discarding the damn locket the very first time he got his hands on it.
After a few hours of nonstop trekking, he finally arrived at his apartment. He slumped in front of it. His breath shallow, throat burning dry from thirst.
Walking a few miles wasn't new to him. Being poor has its perks, doesn't it?
He forced himself up. Dusting off his body as he pushed the door open. It opened in one swift motion, the creaking sound irritatingly familiar yet …calming.
His dusty apartment welcomed him. Clothes scattered on the bed. The window was open, the familiar scent of soured pork emanating from the pork dealer below him.
Nauseous!
He slumped onto the bed, swallowed up by the pile of ragged clothes on the bed.
His gaze fell on his laptop, and he exhaled.
" You end up to be the only one here for me after all" he muttered under his breath and kept his eyes shut.
Although his apartment was small and stuffy compared to the comfort the bar's room offered. At least it meant he wasn't on death row.
…or so he thought.
" You are finally here" a voice came through and Allistair snapped his eyes open. His breath caught in his throat. Shock flickering onto his expression.
A shadow pulled from the side, hooded with a terrifyingly distant gaze.
Allistair noticed his window had been open but he was stupid not to think much of it.
" Who..are you?" He asked, slowly reaching for a knife he always kept under his pillow.
" Looking for this?" The intruder raised the knife, a smirk under the mask.
Alistair's heart sank.
" Let's cut the chase. Hand over the locket or.. your life"
Allistair's brows furrowed. The locket? Wasn't Caedmon with it ? Why d
id he send people after him ? Could it be that he lost it ?
Or…. Could there be someone else after the locket ?