Leonidas felt Jeanne stirring in bed. “Can’t sleep?” he asked her, caressing her head.

She shook her head. “Not really, no”

“You want to talk about it?”

“I don’t really know what else there is to say. If I don’t go home, they’ll send more people to hunt me down. And going back is going to be – complicated.”

“So, you are going back?”

She nodded. “I can’t keep running forever, even if I wanted to.”

Leonidas was silent, looking up at the ceiling above them.

“What?” she asked him.

“I don’t know if I’d have the courage to do what you’re doing?” he said turning back at her.

“What do you mean?”

“You remember when I told you about Selreene?”

Jeanne nodded.

“Well … there was to what happened with her, and why I left the Outlands.”

“How so?”

Leonidas let out a long exhale before he continued. “Not long after she returned from attending this arcane university, she developed an acute drug addiction to a combination of blue lotus and opium. Something she seemed to enjoy with her then partner.”

“Was is bad?”

“Bad was an understatement. She would make irrational decisions, usually leading to people getting hurt and gradually turning most communities against her. A few of those times she even blamed me, saying if I was being reckless why couldn’t she?” As he finished, he looked down at the three large scars on his left side, softly growling at the memory.

“But I thought you said she died from the lies and deceit she told people?”

“No, that made most people stop trusting her. What got her killed was,” Leonidas paused as he squeezed Jeanne’s hand in his.

She put her hand on his face. “Take you time,” she said softly.

“She found while I was out gathering supplies requesting to use one of the holding cells we where I was living.”

“You had holding cells?”

“The group I worked with had been through some conflict and wanted to be prepared just in case. Though most of the time they were used to help house break animals and the occasional prank. But, Selreene ran into me and asked to use one as she was getting the narcotics out of her system. The first few days weren’t easy but she was slowly beginning to be on the mend. Then one day, we had gone out to do our errands and when we came back … her throat was slit with a poisoned blade.”

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“Oh gods,” Jeanne said recoiling.

“And I did everything I could to save her. Even though at that point I wanted to kill her just like everyone else.”

“Then why did you let her inside?”

“Because even though I wanted to cast her aside and let the wilds take her, she was someone who was in need of help. And possibly there was a way to help her become something of the person she used to be. But as we buried her and everything sunk in, I had a thought that if I had not let her inside, she may not have been murdered.”

“You didn’t know that was going to happen?”

“No, but I definitely made it beyond easy to do. And between that and everything else, I just couldn’t deal with the guilt. Even if whatever connections we once had were gone. Because there will always be that lingering thought of if I had said no, turned her away, she may still be alive. Or at least not died the way she did. And even now just thinking of coming back to the Outlands makes my stomach turn and my skin crawl. Having to face those repercussions, not knowing how people will see you. The fact you’re doing it shows a lot.”

She rested her head on his chest. “After the day I’ve had, I really appreciate you saying that.”

“Course, I think Selene might be banning you from the premise.”

Selene rolled her eyes. “I’d rather not talk about her, please.”

“Fair enough.”

“Gods, and everything was starting out so nice, too.”

“That’s how the worst ones usually go.”

“I just wish I could this all behind me. Finally have some closure. Not have this lingering in all my thoughts each waking moment.”

“Well, I think they’ve had enough fun being on the offensive, he said holding her hand in his. “I think it’s about time for them to learn what it’s like to be hunted.”

He noticed her look at him. Her emerald eyes glowing in the ambient light of the moon.

“What?” he asked her.

“Nothing,” she said, resting her head on his chest. “I’m just glad you’re here.”

“I am too,” he said. “I’m an interesting person.”

She giggled. “If that’s how you want to put it.”

“Until I do something stupid, yes.”

“I have a question?”

“No, I will not teach you summon a gerbil army.”

“No, not that. The Outlands. Would you go back?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I know you don’t always speak of it fondly. But it’s clear you still hold in close to you.”

“I learned a lot when I was over there. For better and worse.”

“Then how about this,” she said as she moved up on top of him. “If we make it through all this with our heads still on our bodies, we go to out there.”

“To the Outlands?”

“Yeah,” she said, nodding. “It can be a little adventure.”

“I can imagine the others would want to join.”

“If anything, they’ll want to meet you know who,” Jeanne said lifting her eyebrows repeatedly with a gleeful smile.

“Of course, you’d bring her up, after everything,” Leonidas said, laughing.

“You know I won’t let that little piggy go.”

“And out of all the things I’ve told you, that’s the one you stick with.”

“Well,” she said kissing on his lips. “What about if I did something nice for you?”

“You’re gonna finally pay me back for those herbs you got high on?”

She took in a deep breath. “All right. I was asking for that one.” She then leaned in kissing him again. “But I was thinking something else.”

“Oh, oh!” he said before pointing to her arm. “That isn’t going to hurt at all?”

She looked at her stitches and back to him before grabbing the headboard with both hands. “I’ve managed with much worse,” she with a sultry look in her eyes.