Chapter 3
Regulus was confused, to put it mildly. He was utterly shocked, thrown off balance, and pretty certain he’d lose his eyes if he kept gawking, yet he didn’t know how to stop. “ Love” was going on repeat in his mind at an incredible speed, making it sound more like a weird combination of syllables rather than an actual word. Where Regulus came from, the word “ love ” was meant to be said in a romantic situation to your partner, not to a bloodied and tied-up stranger you were pinning to the wall.
Anyways, here he was.
Regulus was frowning, but for some unknown reason, the boy in front of him completely ignored it, giving Regulus the most adorable – and inappropriate for the situation – smile. His lips were parted, showing off white and perfectly straight teeth, and dimples adorned his cheeks. Regulus had to be honest with himself – the boy had the face of a fairytale prince.
Regulus furrowed his eyebrows further, tilting his head in a questioning manner, and finally, the boy snapped out of his happy little haze, which Regulus really couldn’t stand.
“Hi - wait, I already said that,” he said, his breath still fast and shallow. It didn’t stop the smile, though, only let it fade for a second before it returned with full force. “Doesn’t matter, though. Hi - again. Or not again. We haven’t met before. But I’ve just said it twice before now. Hi, that is.”
It didn’t matter that Regulus was gagged. He had no words. If he had been free from the ropes and the gag, nothing would have left his mouth. He was absolutely and completely speechless.
A few seconds ago, Regulus had been convinced he’d seen the sun for the last time.
“So, this might sound weird.” Regulus almost rolled his eyes at that. “And I know that you don’t know me. And I also, in all honesty, don’t know you. But I’m here to save you,” the boy finished, another sweet smile blooming on his lips. Despite his words, he didn’t move nor did anything to help Regulus at all, and Regulus felt himself get more and more confused.
Perhaps he was hallucinating from the Brand’s hit.
His cheek and jaw were still hurting, and by now, the gag was soaked with both blood and spit. Regulus had a feeling that in a few days he would have a big blue and purple bruise. At least, he calmed himself, it didn’t feel like his jaw was broken, just throbbing horribly.
The boy’s brown gaze was fixed on his, and though his eyes were warm, calming, and assuring, Regulus couldn’t help himself from looking away. He did not wish to have a staring contest with a stranger. He just didn’t want to have a staring contest at all. Eye contact was freaky and unnecessary.
Apparently, the boy didn’t agree because he kept on looking at Regulus until the point where Regulus – if he had had the chance to – would’ve punched him just to get him to stop staring. Carefully, he looked up again, frowning exaggeratedly and trying to shrug against the boy’s hold on his shoulders. The boy noticed, smile fading just a tad.
“What?”
What?
Oh, Regulus really wanted to hit him.
Regulus frowned even more, trying to soundlessly tell the boy to help him free of the ropes. It didn’t really seem to work, though, only confusing him more, and Regulus felt his patience slowly slipping away.
“Sorry, I- I don’t really understand.”
Regulus wanted to scream at him, because of course he didn’t understand when Regulus couldn’t speak – that was the whole problem for Merlin’s sake.
Grimacing, Regulus nodded to himself, pausing to see if the boy understood – which he didn’t – before doing it again. The boy frowned, opening his mouth before closing it again and pressing his lips together tightly. The words he had been about to say were written across his face, more noticeable than the big brown doe eyes of his.
Sorry, but I really don’t understand.
Regulus sighed, frustrated, and leaned his head back against the wall behind him, closing his eyes and taking a moment to simply breathe.
Don’t let your anger get a hold of you, Regulus , his mother’s voice said, and Regulus hated the calming effect it had on him. He couldn’t deny it, though.
Tiredly, Regulus looked back at the boy, letting him see his annoyed demeanour and raising his eyebrows. The confused look in his eyes still didn’t disappear, and Regulus had to take another deep breath before humming around the gag, hoping that would do the trick. Finally, the boy’s eyes widened just a tad as it seemed to dawn on him.
“Oh.”
Oh .
Regulus wanted to hit him. So, so, incredibly badly and so, so incredibly hard. Perhaps that could fix whatever existed behind those big brown eyes of his. Regulus had a hard time believing it could be a brain.
“I- Oh, shit. Sorry. I was going to- I just- well, I don’t know what I was doing. It just-”
Regulus interrupted by humming out loud again, demonstratively rolling his eyes and almost hitting the wall with his head in the process. When he looked back at the boy, the boy was looking at Regulus expectantly, as if Regulus would tell him what to do.
Regulus felt like he was trying to communicate with a kid. It really couldn’t be that different.
Regulus nodded to himself again, grimacing fiercely, and finally the boy moved. He let go of Regulus’ shoulder and stepped backwards, giving him enough space to step away from the wall which he did instantly.
“Yeah, of course, sorry.” The boy kept on mumbling nonsense while his hands reached around Regulus’ head to untie the gag, but Regulus ignored him, not caring in the slightest. For Regulus’ sake, the boy could talk about the best way to put on socks if he wanted to. It didn’t matter. As long as Regulus got rid of the soaked fabric in his mouth, he would willingly pretend to listen.
The boy loosened the gag, gently pulling it away, and Regulus instantly sucked in a breath through his mouth before spitting out blood and spit on the floor. His jaw was aching, and the corners of his mouth felt as if they had been skinned raw, but at least he was able to talk now.
“You okay?”
Regulus looked up, his eyes locking on the boy’s once more, and he couldn’t help himself from staring helplessly at him for just a second. The boy’s shirt was unbuttoned at the top, and the fabric, which had probably been white once, had turned yellowish and was stained with something Regulus couldn’t determine whether was dirt or blood. His tanned skin was sweaty, and it almost looked as if he had been the one to sleep on the floor, not Regulus. But what fascinated Regulus most was probably the small scar on his jaw disappearing under his chin, or perhaps it was his eyes. Those big brown eyes that kept on drawing Regulus in, no matter how much he tried to look away. Regulus couldn’t explain it; there was something hypnotic about his gaze. Not creepy, but calming. It made him want to sit down, relax, and smile, and the last time Regulus checked, that wasn’t something he ever did.
“Yeah,” Regulus mumbled. His voice was hoarse and shaky after not being used for a long time, and Regulus thought he sounded pathetic – like a lost little kid. Quickly, before the boy could do something stupid again – like smile – Regulus turned around, breaking eye contact and offering his bound hands to the boy. He desperately tried not to think about brown eyes running down his back as the boy stepped closer but failed miserably.
He had just met him for Merlin’s sake.
Soft hands grazed his own as the boy began untying the ropes, and Regulus winced when the rope momentarily tightened around his sore wrists. Fortunately, the boy quickly managed to get him free, and Regulus pulled his hands to him, examining the hurting skin in the dim light. It was red and covered in abrasions, and Regulus carefully tried to soothe the burn with his palms.
It worked partly.
Turning around again, Regulus opened his mouth, only to realise that he had no idea what to say. Quietly, he closed it again, letting the boy speak instead.
“Hey,” he said – again, Regulus couldn’t help but point out in his mind. Slowly, another gentle smile found its way to his lips. Regulus didn’t return it, though, his face painted with the different emotions coursing through him at the moment; confusion, fear, annoyance, anger and more confusion.
“You know, usually, when someone says hey, you respond with hey. Or hi. Or hello.” The boy nodded awkwardly, clearly waiting for Regulus to say something.
“I don’t know you,” Regulus blurted out because that was the truth. A stranger was making small talk with him as if he hadn’t been tied up mere seconds ago. It seemed to make the boy pause for a moment, and Regulus stayed silent as he was lost in thought.
“I’m James,” he finally said. Regulus considered giving him a snarky reply, but luckily, James continued before Regulus had the chance to. “And I'm here to save you.”
“Why?” Regulus asked, and James paused again, frowned. “You don’t know me. I could be literally anyone, so why are you here to save me?”
James opened his mouth before closing it again, clearly debating something important in his head and Regulus couldn’t help but feel somewhat amused that James seemed to be the one unsure now. It felt good to know he wasn’t the only one thrown off by the whole situation. James pressed his lips together tightly, his gaze flickering to the open doorway before returning and settling on Regulus’ face again.
“I’ll tell you later. When we aren’t in danger, okay? I promise.” Another sincere smile.
Regulus hesitated. He wasn’t sure if he believed James completely; he couldn’t determine whether James was lying or not. There was something odd about the whole situation. This picture-perfect boy showed up as if from some sort of fairy tale, claiming to be there to save Regulus. He was nice, and no one had gotten in their way yet. In Regulus’ opinion, everything seemed just a bit too perfect.
Once again, Regulus couldn’t help but consider if the Brand’s hit had been harder than he had first anticipated, if there was something wrong with his head and not James’.
“Okay, Regulus said, trying to sound believable. His voice sounded slightly strained, though, and Regulus hoped James wouldn't think much of it, that he would brush it off without giving it a second thought. After all, Regulus had been unable to speak for a very long time, he had been scared to hell and back. Of course, his voice was shaking a bit. It would be more concerning if it wasn’t.
James smiled. It looked so incredibly genuine, and Regulus wanted to believe it was. He couldn’t risk it, though.
“Okay, good,” James said, starting to walk backwards towards the door. Regulus followed carefully. “So, currently, a group of my friends are handling the slave traders, and honestly, we just have to get out as fast as possible before they realise what’s happening. So, yeah, just follow me.”
So far, James hadn’t tried to kill him. So far, James had helped him, Regulus reminded himself. Whether their meeting was accidental or planned to the smallest detail, Regulus didn’t know. What he did know was that James was offering him a way to freedom and hadn’t tried to kill him yet. If he had a hidden and dark motive, that would be a problem for later, because right now, Regulus would be a fool to decline James’ offer of help.
Regulus held James’ gaze for a few seconds, nodding all the while and hoping he looked more sincere than he felt. He couldn’t shake the bad feeling, making him tense up, the feeling that he was holding a perfectly delicious-looking apple in the palm of his hand. And that if he took a bite, it would reveal brown flesh riddled with worms and mites.
James smiled and turned to the door, poking his head out to scan for danger before waving Regulus along into the corridor. With a sigh, Regulus carefully tiptoed after him.
The hallway was empty, dirty and badly lit. No windows adorned the walls, and the ceiling lamps cast an artificial glow over the shabby corridor. It looked like the perfect setting for a murder.
“Come on,” James said, his gaze flickering between the corners of the corridor as he set off into a jog. “Quick.”
Regulus wasn’t sure how he hadn’t noticed before, but a sword almost as long as James’ leg hung from his belt, dangling dangerously close to his shin. It was ornated enough for a king, the handle resembling twisted ropes of black with small, most likely faux, diamonds embedded in it – real diamonds had to be far too expensive for James. Unless he was indeed some sort of fairy tale king, it had to be stolen. The light caught in the edge of the sword, and the metal shone for a second before James turned around, looking confusedly at Regulus.
He opened his mouth but quickly paused again, and Regulus had a feeling James wanted to address him by name.
“Regulus,” Regulus supplied, regretting it the second his name left his mouth. How stupid was he allowed to be? His name wasn’t exactly common; in fact, Regulus had never met anyone else named Regulus. And really, it wouldn’t take much to associate Regulus with theCrown Prince Regulus Arcturus Black. Regulus should’ve lied about his name, taken another, refused to tell it to James, anything. But of course, Regulus had ruined it. Pretty boy didn’t even have to ask; Regulus offered it up willingly.
Praying that James didn’t recognize his name, Regulus pressed his lips together and waited for James to say something. Waited for him to reveal if he knew Regulus or not.
“Regulus,” James repeated. Besides gratitude, nothing showed on his face, and Regulus hated that he couldn’t determine whether James knew or not. Perhaps he really had no idea; perhaps the name didn’t ring a bell in his mind. Or perhaps James was an incredible liar and already had plans for later. Regulus couldn’t determine.
James shook his head, tearing his gaze away from Regulus as if he suddenly realised he had been staring. Regulus didn’t look away, though, desperately trying to catch anything in James’ facial expressions, anything to get a pry about whether James were an enemy or a friend.
“Sorry,” James laughed. When he looked at Regulus again, an endearing smile had bloomed on his lips. “Let’s go, Regulus.”
His name rolled off James’ tongue easily. Almost too easy, his mind supplied, but Regulus wasn’t sure if he was right or if it was simply his paranoia.
“Yeah,” Regulus mumbled, his voice a mere whisper. “James.”
He didn’t know why he felt the need to say James’ name, but it suddenly hit him that he didn’t know if James was his actual name. If Regulus was right and James was some sort of mastermind with evil plans, “James” could easily be a fake name.
It was quite common too, had the ring of a cover name.
At his name – whether it was fake or not – James flashed him a big smile before it faded to that gentle one he seemed to constantly wear. Despite his words, James seemed content with staying where he was and maintaining eye contact with Regulus. He looked somewhat peaceful.
A distant scream broke the silence, and James’ eyes flickered nervously before finding Regulus again. A firm expression settled in his eyes, and as he silently nodded Regulus on, Regulus followed without complaints.
Again, if James had secret motives, that would be a problem for later.
They ran through the corridors without speaking, and Regulus was surprised to see that James seemed to know the way so easily, as if every hallway didn’t look identical to the one they had just passed. As if he knew the building as his own home.
James was in far better shape than Regulus, barely even out of breath, while Regulus was stumbling to keep up. He stopped occasionally, listening to their surroundings and looking thoughtful before leading them down another corridor. Regulus didn’t interject, taking their small pauses as time to breathe.
The distant noises consistently became louder with every corner he and James turned, and Regulus was about to warn James about getting too close when James soundlessly slackened his pace to a walk. Regulus carefully slowed down too, coming up next to him and trying to mimic James’ silence. The din had increased significantly to the point where Regulus could hear actual words and people moving around. His kidnappers had to be just beyond the walls.
James, who had turned to face Regulus, lifted a finger to his lips and gave him a curt nod, to which Regulus nodded back. They had to be silent. Great. That wasn’t anything new. Carefully, James sneaked down the hallway. His sword kept on dangling and occasionally bumping into his leg. Had it been Regulus, he knew, he would’ve been frightened to death by the sharp metal, but James didn’t even seem to notice it. He looked like a professional, tiptoeing down the hall in a manner that told Regulus he had done this before.
The wooden boards hardly made any sounds, and James looked calm. His face revealed neither fear nor anxiety. Everything about him was calculated, from every careful breath in and out to every step across the floor, even down to what he wore and his facial expressions.
Regulus clenched and unclenched his hands by his side, willing his body to stop shaking. Goosebumps erupted on his arms, rapidly spreading across his skin, and Regulus shuddered involuntarily. Alarming situations like this always did that to him, putting him in a constant state of fight or flight, only for him to freeze in the middle of the worst possible moment.
He just had to get out, though, Regulus reminded himself. Follow James, don’t panic, and get out. It couldn’t get any simpler, and Regulus just needed to suck his anxiety up. Easy. Done. Freedom was waiting for him just around the corner. And so was his far-more-comfortable-than-the-floor bed. One foot in front of the other, and don’t make a sound.
Regulus took a deep breath. He had it easy compared to others. James was there to protect him if the Brand or the boss should decide to show up. That shiny sword would buy him enough time to flee. The bound people Regulus had sat next to earlier would most likely kill to be in his shoes. They were most likely still bound, about to be driven away and sold to the highest bidder.
Regulus stopped in his tracks, frowning to himself.
He knew he should focus on getting away before anyone found him or James. But could he leave, knowing that somewhere not far away, someone else was about to have their lives destroyed? Knowing that he had merely been lucky to be found by James and not stuck in the back of another horse-drawn carriage along with a group of innocent and kidnapped people?
Regulus recalled a pitiful snuffle belonging to a young crying girl, gagged and tied up. What had she done to be kidnapped? What unfortunate move had been her last before being knocked out with a bat and stuffed into the back of a carriage?
Carefully, Regulus tiptoed after James, catching up with him as fast as possible.
“James,” he whispered so quietly he doubted whether James could actually hear him or not. “Earlier, there was someone. Innocent people, James, and... We can’t just leave them.”
James turned his head towards Regulus, holding his gaze as he answered.
“My friends are already on it, love, I swear. This isn’t the first time we’ve done anything like this.”
He flashed Regulus a proud half-smile, and Regulus gave him a curt, simple nod. Once again, he couldn’t determine whether his words and grimace were genuine, or if James was amazing at faking smiles and spinning lies. James held eye contact for another second before his gaze guardedly scanned the hallway behind Regulus.
There was no warning, no sounds, no anything to inform Regulus of what was to happen next, and maybe the silence should have been enough of a warning, but suddenly James grabbed Regulus’ wrist, hauling him to the side in a frantic and wild motion. Regulus shouted, something whisked past his arm, and James drew his sword fluidly. Chaos clouded his mind, almost choking him, and Regulus stumbled to keep his balance.
His hands collided with the wall, and Regulus stayed flushed against it as he hurriedly turned around, just in time to see swords clash roughly. James’ face was a cold mask, fixed on the attacker, a man Regulus couldn’t recognize but knew must be working for the green-eyed boss – another slave trader, thus.
He had appeared out of seemingly nowhere, and the fear that other people were waiting just around the nearest corner welled up in Regulus. He had nothing to defend himself with, and if James were occupied, there would be nothing to do. How many people could James fight at the same time?
The slave trader swung his sword swiftly, and James only just managed to evade, blindly lashing out with his own sword. Regulus knew how to use a sword. He had been trained since he was a small child, but simply looking at James and the stranger made Regulus aware that his abilities would be of no use. James and the slave trader were uncoordinated, yet they were fast and harsh in their movements. Regulus’ correct footing and controlled swings with a sword wouldn’t be able to compete with their brutal attacks. He would be lying dead on the floor before he even had a chance to correct his posture.
The world was so much easier to fight when you didn’t have to fear for your life every second.
James struck again, fast, but the slave trader was faster, dodging James’ attack with no problems. He twirled to the side with his sword already lifted to swing again, but James must have predicted it because he landed a deliberate and precise kick right to the man’s shin. It was a dirty trick. It was completely unfair. It was the reality of life.
The stranger stumbled into the wall, and Regulus knew that was all James would need to finish him. The stranger's hands were frantically grasping at the wall, trying to regain balance, his sword falling to the ground with a loud clatter. He was unprotected, and there was nothing to prevent James from making a lethal strike. One trifling moment was all someone needed to end you. One trifling moment where you didn’t pay enough attention.
If it hadn’t been for James pulling him to the side mere seconds ago, it could have been Regulus. Regulus could’ve been dead.
The slave trader seemed to realise his mistake too, his face suddenly distorting with fear and pleas of mercy, but James barely seemed to notice as he turned to face Regulus with a hectic motion. He too looked panicked, as if he were the one cornered and disarmed, and the hairs on Regulus’ neck raised, a shiver running down his spine. James’ brown eyes were dilated, his tanned skin covered in sweat, and his clothes ruffled. An aura of chaos lay all over him, yet he seemed sharper than his own sword. He looked like a hurt animal, unsure of what to do, yet completely sure. As if he knew exactly what would happen next but had no idea of what he was doing for the moment. Like all thoughts were gone and all that was left was the primal instincts of a basic human.
The slave trader landed hard on the floor, but his eyes stayed glued to James, who was still clutching his sword tightly. His knuckles were turning white.
The silence filled the hallway with tense air once more, enhancing their ragged breaths, and Regulus felt unnerved by James’ stare. His face was twisted in a silent plea, eyebrows pulled together, and brown eyes widened underneath his long lashes. Something desperate shone in them, as if he was trying to communicate with Regulus through their mind. Do something. Now!
Barely a second had passed, but the slave trader had taken advantage of James’ hesitation to eye his sword a few metres away, and Regulus felt the panic rise. Rise, rise, rise.
He didn’t know what James was trying to tell him. He was scared and surrounded by strangers. His heart was beating faster than he had ever thought possible, and he felt the need to do something. Run around, jump, punch something – or someone. His body was on fire.
Carefully and incredibly slowly, the slave trader propped himself up on an elbow, his eyes once again flying to his sword. Regulus swallowed, and his eyes flickered back to James as he tried to find something to steady himself on. The silence was killing him; it was too quiet. Like the whole world had stopped to watch them.
It suddenly dawned on him what James was trying to tell him.
The silence. It was too silent. The mumbling voices from beyond the walls had vanished.
Regulus’ face dropped at the exact same time James mouthed one single word:
Run
Regulus wasn’t sure if someone started chasing them as he turned on his heel and ran for his life, with James right behind him. He wasn’t sure if the stranger on the floor reached for his sword or if someone had been waiting for them just around the corner. He didn’t listen or try to look behind himself. All that mattered was putting one foot in front of the other as fast as possible.
Never in his life had Regulus thought he’d have to run for his life, but the experience was both horrifying and exhilarating. Never in his life had he been so consumed by fear, and never in his life had he been so high on adrenaline. Every nerve and muscle in his body was working furiously, and his blood was boiling. A little voice in his head was telling him to go faster, while another was laughing maniacally.
James came up next to him, and when Regulus realised James was sprinting slightly faster than him, it only made him more determined to go faster. His body was protesting, but Regulus wasn’t sure if he could slow down even if he tried to.
The lights in the ceiling flew past him in a blur, and Regulus almost collided with a wall as James pulled them around a corner. He didn’t know where he was, and he sure as hell didn’t know where he was going either. They could be running directly into a carefully thought-out trap that would get them killed, Regulus knew that, but the opportunity for freedom made him want to risk it. The opportunity for a blinding sun and a tearing wind. The smell of the salty sea and the deep green of the leaves on an old tree. All of it made it worth it. Even with death lurking just around the nearest corners, Regulus couldn’t help his crazed laugh.
James grabbed his wrist tightly, and Regulus stumbled to keep up as James urged him to go even faster. How James managed to run as fast and still look as collected, Regulus had no idea. Someone shouted behind them, and Regulus forced himself to ignore it, to keep his gaze fixed solely on what was waiting in front of him. They were being chased, but they could get away. Regulus believed it, yet the fear rolled over him like a heavy and suffocating blanket woven by lies.
James pulled them around another corner, again faster than Regulus had thought possible without crashing against the wall. His grip on Regulus’ wrist was borderline painful, but Regulus didn’t really feel it, too overwhelmed by everything else to notice. The distant sounds of the slave traders, the artificial lighting, the bare and dirty walls, the girl at the other end of the hallway-
Girl?
Regulus stopped in the middle of the corridor, his heart skipping at least two beats before returning to its unnatural high speed. His body froze into place, his eyes locked on the girl's tall and slim silhouette, all the while the little shrill voice in his head kept on informing him of the people closing in on them from behind, kept on yelling.
James, on the other hand, apparently had no intentions of stopping in the middle of the hallway like Regulus and with his hand still on Regulus’ wrist, Regulus was suddenly – and literally – pulled out of his trance with a harsh tug. Instantly, he toppled forward and barely managed to grab James’ elbow before landing face-first on the floor. He swung his head back, hair flying out of his eyes, and his eyes found the girl again, but she wasn’t looking at him.
Her walnut brown eyes were trained on James, and the furrow between her eyebrows smoothed as she rolled her eyes. With an exhausted sigh, she lowered her gigantic axe and shook her blonde hair, which was cut in a rough pattern Regulus couldn’t work out, out of her face. Her lips were thin, and her cheeks were dusted with a speck of freckles. Though she was slim, her arm muscles were on full display, and Regulus didn’t doubt she could beat him in a fight any time, even if she offered him her axe. Judging by its size, Regulus wasn’t even sure he’d be able to lift, let alone swing it.
“James!” she exclaimed, meeting them halfway through the hall. “Merlin, you scared me, you absolute fucker. I- no, wait, I'll tell you later. But you shouldn’t have happened to have seen Pads anywhere, should you?”
Her words came out like one long chain, but she didn’t even stutter once. Nor did she stop to breathe.
“No,” James exhaled, and some part of Regulus was secretly thrilled to hear that James didn’t sound completely unaffected by their run. The girl nodded to herself, and a frown appeared on her face, only for it to disappear again when she caught sight of Regulus.
You’d think Regulus was used to being stared at; he was the crown prince after all. But now he found that he wanted to hide behind James’ back or cover his face, like he had wanted to do earlier when James had been in the girl’s position. Perhaps, Regulus thought, it was just a skill people from the street had, and not something special. Perhaps, they were all just incredibly good at staring unnervingly at you.
“Yes,” James continued, breaking the intense eye contact between Regulus and the girl. “Marlene, this is Reg. Reg, this is Marlene. Now, if the two of you don’t mind, we are currently being chased by some not-so-friendly guys, so maybe – just maybe – we should consider running. Now.” James grabbed Regulus’ wrist again, and though Regulus’ legs felt like they could break underneath him at any second, a far too close yell made him snap back into survival mode. He could rest later when the terrifying promise of death wasn’t hanging right over his head.
Marlene cast one glance at the hallway behind Regulus and James before rapidly turning around and setting off with a staggering pace considering the huge axe she was carrying. Regulus and James followed right after, not even a millisecond later.
Regulus’ breathing was already rushed and shallow, but it somehow managed to get even worse as James kept on tugging on his arm and soundlessly telling him to go faster. He wasn’t in good enough shape to keep up with James or Marlene. The latter was already far ahead, while the former had slowed down just a tad to make sure Regulus didn’t lag behind completely. Regulus was going as fast as he could, though, and it was truly a mystery to him how Marlene was running so fast. It physically shouldn’t be possible.
The slave traders were catching up to them, and Regulus had a feeling that they, too, just like Marlene, were faster than him, that they’d eventually reach him and James. He didn’t know how many there were, but he sure as hell also didn’t want to find out.
Marlene’s feet slid on the floor as she made a sharp turn around a corner, and her shoulder clashed with the wall. For a second, Regulus thought she’d fall, but her face showed no pain nor fear, and she quickly disappeared down the hallway out of sight.
“Faster!” she yelled impatiently, and Regulus swore soundlessly to himself. He was trying, damn it. James and Regulus turned the corner, almost losing their balance for a second too, and Marlene came into view again. She threw herself against a door with her shoulder first, and it flew open with a loud bang, crashing up against the wall behind it.
A narrow staircase led downwards to somewhere Regulus couldn’t see, and the artificial glow from the lamps in the ceiling was replaced by natural, dimming sunlight. Regulus almost dropped to his knees at the sight. Freedom, fresh air and sunshine. It might have only been a day since he’d last seen the sky, but Regulus had missed it. Closed rooms made him anxious. They reminded him of far too many lonely days at the castle, in a home that had never been a home.
“Come on! Go, go, go!” Marlene shouted, waving them on with rushed movements. Her voice was stern and fast, not one to argue with, and Regulus pushed himself to go just a tad faster in the last few metres. Just a little more , the voice in his head said. You’re almost there.
Marlene started running again before James had fully caught hold of the door, but James seemed to have expected it, and he had no trouble holding it open long enough for Regulus and himself to slip through.
The staircase was barely two metres long, made of asphalt and too narrow for James and Regulus to run next to each other. It didn’t matter, though. Marlene was just in front of him, and as Regulus’ wrist slid out of James’ grip, Regulus wasted no time following.
He took the stairs three at a time, though his legs hurt and threatened to buckle underneath him every time one of his feet hit the ground. The door slammed behind him, and some part of Regulus was distantly aware that James was right behind him. No one wasted breath trying to speak, and Regulus shut out all sounds, training his gaze on the few metres of asphalt in front of him. It was easier to run without James’ guiding hand on his wrist, and the speed came faster and more naturally. As if it were a reflex and not draining him from energy and air. His muscles felt like they were on autopilot, and he barely registered that his feet were actually hitting the ground.
He felt like he was flying. The wind tousled his hair and cooled his sweaty body down. Buildings vanished out of view before Regulus could even focus on them, and confused people recoiled with shocked expression when their gazes found Marlene – or her axe. Regulus supposed that one might scare them more than the girl herself.
A big man yelled something at them that Regulus didn’t catch, and as he turned his head towards him, James ran up next to him. He was breathing heavily, and his shirt had been blown flush against chest, revealing a set of impressive abs through the thin fabric.
“Just ignore it,” James said between gulps of air. His eyes flickered from the road ahead of them to Regulus’ face before quickly returning. “And keep going. Don’t stop running, Regulus. Follow Marlene and don’t worry about me, okay?”
Regulus didn’t get a chance to answer before James was gone. One second, he was sprinting away, and the next he was standing still on the road just behind Regulus. Regulus staggered as he almost slowed down too, only for James' words to finally sink in and make sense.
And keep going. Don’t stop running, Regulus.
Regulus pushed himself to maintain the same flawless speed as before, but something wasn’t as easy as it had been earlier. Perhaps the adrenaline rush had subsided, or perhaps the exhaustion was finally kicking in. His stomach churned as if summoned by the thought. Desperately gasping for air, Regulus turned his head back to the road in front of him, just in time to see Marlene disappear down a side street. She still hadn’t looked back. She wouldn’t wait for Regulus like James, that was sure.
Regulus bit down on nothing, clenching both his jaw and hands and ignoring the screamed protests from his hurting body. He feared he might end up passing out on the street. Fall to the ground and never get up again. Marlene would continue running, not bothering to look back, and James would be too occupied with whatever he was doing for the moment to notice.
He couldn’t afford to fall. No matter what happened, Regulus must not fall.
Agony shot up through his leg as his foot hit the asphalt, but Regulus only clenched his hands tighter. He turned the corner with legs far too wobbly for his own liking, however, he kept going, nonetheless. The confined alleyway was densely packed, and Regulus was relieved to see that Marlene hadn’t vanished completely. She had carved her way through the crowd, meaning Regulus had no problems with following. Suddenly, she ran down another alleyway, and Regulus barely managed to dodge a barrel standing next to the corner of a ramshackle tavern. It tipped slightly to the side but righted itself the next second and Regulus was off again. Regaining his balance and speed, he kept his gaze glued on Marlene’ blonde head and the direction she was heading. The direction they were heading.
Whatever they were doing, Regulus was a part of it. He didn’t have much of a choice, he knew that, but even if he did, he’d still choose to be in the same position.
The crowd gradually vanished as Marlene continued to lead them down side street after side street. And as the amount of people evaporated, Marlene’s speed increased. She raced down the alleyways as if she was the chaser and not the chased, and Regulus rushed to keep up. Every time he turned a corner, he had to fight to stay on both legs, then speed up to avoid losing sight of her.
If she had been closer to him, Regulus might have told her to slow down, but as it was, he wasn’t sure if she could even hear him. Speaking was also a hindrance to running as fast as possible, so he let her continue at her furious pace. At least, the maze of alleyways and sharp turns prevented her from fully leaving him behind.
At some point, Regulus thought he might have lost her completely, but then her impatient voice reached him from somewhere up ahead.
“Regulus, hurry up! We’re going to get caught, moron!”
Regulus doubted it was true. They had been running for several minutes since James had left them in complete silence. If someone was slinking after them, they had to not only be incredibly fast but also incredibly silent. Regulus didn’t comment on her statement, though, too short of breath.
As soon as he located her, she was on the run again and disappeared down the nearest side street. Regulus sighed to himself.
Fortunately, Marlene at last came to a halt not far after, and Regulus almost sat down and cried when he realised that she had stopped and was now watching the throng pass by on the main street. One assuring word, that was all it would take for his body to collapse beneath him. His sight was starting to blur too, but whether it was because of the sun, the lack of food and water, or sheer exhaustion, Regulus didn’t know.
Marlene’s breathing was uneven, but she hid it well, and Regulus had a feeling that she, unlike him, could continue running at full speed if necessary. Also, unlike Regulus, she was already surveying their next obstacle.
The street was crowded with people of every sort: small, dirty kids running errands with far too heavy sacks over their shoulders, young women and men in revealing dresses or simply no shirt, elderly grumpy men who were missing an eye, a hand, a leg, or all three. All types of people were hustling and bustling to make their way across the road, and no one seemed to care if they got in the way of others. A man with long, thick red hair stepped out right in front of a small girl, but she was faster than Regulus thought he himself could’ve been and slid around the man’s back with no problems. She was used to the busyness, Regulus realised.
Suddenly, Marlene wrapped her hand around Regulus’ wrist. Her gaze remained fixed on the road ahead, as if she really couldn’t bring herself to care about Regulus’ presence. It was fair, though, Regulus supposed. Not that she knew, but he had never had to make his way through such a lively, yet feral throng. Here, Regulus was worse off than the small girls who didn’t even reach his shoulders.
Marlene pulled them into the dense crowd of people.
Regulus thought he might have stepped on someone’s foot, to which they complained, but he wasn’t sure if the whine was real or just a product of his mind. There was too much noise surrounding him. A cacophony of amusement and mad voices made Regulus feel like he was trapped inside a small room with walls of uproarious sounds. They came from everywhere, and though no one was looking at him – not even Marlene, who had practically been absorbed by the mass – Regulus felt like every shout was directed at him. He was being attacked from all sides, and he couldn’t even make out what they were yelling.
Marlene’s grip on his wrist was becoming painful, but for once, Regulus really didn’t mind it. In fact, he welcomed both that and how she steered him firmly in the right direction. Without her grip, he would’ve likely become lost, fallen to the ground, and been trampled. Regulus doubted the crowd would stop if someone stumbled. It would swallow the unfortunate soul and continue as if they’d never existed, excusing it as a tragic accident. No one would ever be able to tell what had happened, but everyone would know. The road was a greedy river, tearing apart every fragile little thing unlucky enough to fall into its raging waves.
Marlene gave his hand a harsh tug and Regulus stumbled forward into a place that had been impossible to reach just a second before. Walking across the road was like navigating through an ever-changing maze, where only those who knew where to find the passages, where to expect them, would see sunlight again. Every step forward was a risk; you didn’t know if there was space to stand before you stood there.
There had to be a pattern, but Regulus couldn’t grasp it, consistently bumping into everyone around him. Or perhaps they were the ones bumping into him?
Just as Regulus thought Marlene’s grasp on him would slip, the crowd thinned out slightly, and Regulus was able to see the sky again. Marlene had led them to the edge of the street, and only half a metre from Regulus’ left foot, clear water winked up at him. He couldn’t see the bottom.
“Okay,” Marlene said. She sighed as if she was uncertain about something, but Regulus heavily doubted that. She didn’t strike him as someone who wavered. “Look.”
A swift and steady hand grabbed his chin, turning his head to look in the same direction as her. An abundance of ships was scattered all over the harbour in front of them, and Regulus was shocked to see that none of the platforms built directly on top of the water had railings. It would be so, so easy to fall down and drown.
“You see that?” Marlene asked. She lifted her hand, pointing to somewhere in front of them. “That’s a ship. It’s my ship. Well, not exactly mine, but it is. And we’re going to get on board and get the hell out of here. You following, boy?”
Regulus gulped, pulling his jaw out of her hand as she turned to look at him with a disapproving glint in her eyes that spoke perfectly fine on its own; I really don’t have time for this, can we move on?
“I,” Regulus had no idea what he was trying to say. Are we going to sail a ship all alone, just the two of us? Where’s James? Are we being hunted? Do I need to do something? “Just... Lead the way.”
Regulus pressed his lips together and nodded, though he had no idea what he was agreeing to do.
This is a bad idea , his mother’s voice stated nonchalantly. Regulus really couldn’t help but agree.
“Don’t do anything stupid and keep your mouth shut,” Marlene said after another second of contemplation. Then she abruptly turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd that – thank Merlin – wasn't as dense as before. It really couldn’t be normal for streets to be this packed.
Marlene made her way through the throng at a pace slow enough for Regulus to keep up with. For some reason people automatically avoided Marlene – possibly because of that axe she was still carrying as if it weren’t a lethal weapon – but Regulus didn’t have the same privilege, having to repeatedly jump and dodge to avoid being hit by broad shoulders and swinging arms. He was absolutely no one, a nameless face in a nameless crowd.
That was probably for the better. That no one knew nor recognized him.
Though Regulus knew they were heading for a specific ship, he had no idea which one or in which direction it was, despite Marlene’s attempt at pointing it out to him. Regulus didn’t dare to ask her to do it again. The axe was glinting a bit too much in the burning sun and Regulus valued his head too much to risk making that mistake. Fortunately, Marlene didn’t seem to mind much, as long as Regulus followed without complaining, and that, he did.
The harbour was giant and made completely out of new wood. It looked out of place next to the neglected houses on land, as if someone, someday, had wanted to build a harbour where there hadn’t been space for it. And then, in defiance, had built it on top of nothing only a few metres from the desired placement. It also looked unfinished, as if the someone couldn’t be bothered with completing the new harbour, which would also explain the missing bannisters.
Regardless of the absent safety, no one seemed to be afraid of the cold water lurking just beneath them, and the throng moved just as fast as the one on the main street. Perhaps it was just Regulus who genuinely feared the ocean, perhaps he was the odd one out.
Finally, Marlene seemed to have reached the desired destination, and Regulus caught up with the last few steps as she came to a momentary halt. They stood before a huge ship that looked like something taken directly from a storybook, one of those big-ass pirate ships filled to the brim with riches and rum. But it couldn’t actually be, because...
That stuff was meant for bedtime stories. It wasn’t real.
Regulus cast a sidelong glance at Marlene, who wasn’t paying him any attention and was instead gazing at the impressive sight before them. A siren with long, messy hair adorned the stern, and though she wasn’t wearing any clothes, a sign hung around her neck, covering her breasts. The name “ Euphemia” was engraved on the surface.
“Come on,” Marlene said, waving Regulus along as she started walking towards the gangway. “Let’s go.”
Euphemia was a beautiful sight. The sails were white and flapped impatiently in the wind, while the black painting ornamenting the deck hadn’t started peeling yet, making the ship look all new and shiny. All in all, she looked ready to sail.
“Marlene!” someone yelled, and Regulus suddenly came to the realisation that the ship wasn’t empty like he’d initially thought. People were running around hectically, pulling at ropes and yelling orders. Euphemia looked like she was ready to sail because she was about to. “Finally. We thought you guys were lost or something. Wait, where’s James? And-”
“On his way. And if you think I'd get lost, then you clearly don’t know me well enough.” Marlene’s voice was cold and snappy, but her eyes twinkled with a not-so-mean glint as she answered the redhead who had suddenly appeared on the deck. She leaned against the railing and shook her head at Marlene.
“Just get on board. We can’t stay much longer. Jamie better have made it back by then, 'cause I sure as hell won’t wait up for him.” The redhead clapped the railing and pushed herself away from it, turning to face someone behind her. She yelled something at them, but Regulus didn’t catch it, and in the next second, Marlene was running up the gangway. Regulus followed cautiously when he realised Marlene wasn’t going to invite him on board. She really didn’t give a shit about him.
Marlene instantly ran to the redhead, continuing their conversation as they crossed the deck with determined steps, and Regulus had a feeling that he wasn’t welcome in the hectic chat, which he honestly didn’t mind. He slowed down, leaving the girls to their own business and letting his gaze wander over the splendid ship. It was enormous and could accommodate far more people than the few running around on the deck. Such a big ship would need a bigger crew to sail it. Or so Regulus supposed; he wasn’t exactly an expert on ships.
Awestruck, Regulus twirled around, swallowing the ship with his eyes, until someone bumped into his shoulder. Instantly, Regulus stopped in his tracks, his body tensing up and insides freezing to ice.
“I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to-”
Regulus interrupted himself when he realised the boy was already on the move again. The boy didn’t even turn to yell something rude at Regulus, nor did he stumble, and Regulus relaxed a bit. One probably didn’t have to watch out for others when you were six feet five, Regulus thought as he watched the sandy-haired boy disappear down the gangway at full speed. That, or he was just very busy.
Regulus turned around again, his gaze landing on Marlene and the redhead. Though the ship was about to sail, neither seemed to care very much. Not about that at least. Both of them appeared to be too engaged in their conversation to pay attention to anything else.
Regulus frowned to himself. If the ship was about to sail, why were there so few people on board? And where was the group of people James had said his friends would free?
Marlene threw her hands up over her head in a despairing gesture, and the redhead furrowed her brows. They were discussing something, and Regulus suddenly desperately wanted to know what.
A bad taste – that wasn’t blood – filled his mouth, and a sense of something dangerous loomed over him as he carefully made his way towards Marlene and the redhead. Something was wrong. Behind the lovely, new and shining surface on Euphemia, something rotten lurked.
“We can’t wait, Marls, I’m telling you-”
“But we can’t just fucking leave. It’s-”
Regulus stopped a few metres from the two girls, trying to hide his shaking hands behind his back. The redhead was the first to notice him, but as soon as she fixed her green gaze on him, Marlene interrupted herself and turned to look at him too. She narrowed her eyes and gave him a quick up-and-down look.
Oh, he definitely wasn’t welcome.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
“Sorry. For interrupting. I just- Well, James.” They probably didn’t even know a James. “He said, you’d- You see, there was someone, innocent people. Who- well, they were bound, and, uh, kidnapped. Like me, and James said a group of his friends was going to get them free. And I just- Well, I, uh.”
Regulus knew he didn’t make sense. He didn’t need the two girls’ confused gazes to inform him of that. The shared a quick look, and then the redhead stepped forward.
“I’m sorry, who?”
Regulus took a deep breath. “A group of kidnapped people, innocents. And James. Well, when I asked him if we could save them, he said his friends were taking care of it. And I feel like he meant you.”
The redhead narrowed her eyes, nodding to herself as if the memories were slowly returning. Regulus had a feeling it was a show made to deceive him. Run, his mind yelled, run while you can.
“I- yeah. We got them free,” the redhead said. She looked up again and met Regulus’ gaze with a completely unreadable expression. Something was off. Off, off, off. “Don’t worry about them. The slave traders won’t find them. By the time they’ll realise their hostages have been freed, they’ll all be gone. All of them. Scattered all over the city, impossible to find. Some of them might even have made it out of the city.” She shrugged carelessly and pressed her lips into a thin line. Her eyes were searching his as if she too could feel that something was wrong.
The captives had been freed, left to find their way home on their own, but Regulus...
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Regulus had been brought here to a ship that was about to set off.
Marlene didn’t bother hiding her death stare directed at Regulus, her axe laying securely in her fist. She looked ready to attack.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Regulus swallowed past the lump in his throat and nodded to himself. The redhead was still scanning his facial expressions, and Regulus forced himself to smile. His ears were ringing, and his heart was hammering so loudly he feared they could hear it.
“Well,” he stammered. “In that case,” another fake smile, “I’ll just-” Regulus interrupted himself and took a careless step backwards. Marlene’s hawk eyes instantly caught the movement, and if Regulus’ body wasn’t so tense it might’ve broken already; he could’ve very well fainted right then and there.
Regulus gulped down air, clasping his hands together in front of him before pointing over his shoulder and nodding apologetically.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
The redhead took a cautious step towards him. She looked like a cat hunting down its prey.
“I’ll just go,” Regulus managed to get out, taking another step backwards before turning around, only to collide with a chest face-first. Instantly, Regulus pulled back. His forced smile was long gone, as was any doubt.
Something was completely wrong.
Hands came to rest on his shoulders, and though it was barely even a grip, Regulus felt trapped. The redhead and Marlene were closing in from behind him, but Regulus couldn’t bring himself to focus on anything but the dark-haired boy in front of him.
“Yeah, I’m sorry. But I can’t really let you do that.”
The smile Regulus had thought was glued to James' face was long, long gone.