Was the night always this dark? Mila had trouble remembering where to go. Was it right? No, it was across the street.

“Mila?” Andrew kept bothering her. “You can’t go on like this.”

Mila used the wall she was leaning on as a spring to get herself moving. Despite the late hour, people were still moving. The loud proceeding of guards and now the fire at their station had awoken a large part of this area.

But no one interrupted them. Most of those who were roaming the streets did so cautiously, not wanting to attract any attention. They sniffed the air, wondering what disaster had befallen the city tonight.

“Here.” Mila motioned.

Mr Crow’s warning made Andrew stop. “There is someone there.” He warned, trying to grab Mila, who slipped out of his grasp.

“Anthony.” She addressed the darkness.

“Miss Mila.” It answered, and the spy slipped out of the hiding spot behind a stack of planks. “Is this your friend?”

“We need to get back.” Mila kept herself upright and as threatening as possible to keep her image. “I had an encounter at the station. Someone was snooping around and torturing guards.”

“Who is this?” Andrew slightly relaxed when Mila started to speak with the man. He still kept his distance.

“Not one of ours,” Anthony answered the unspoken question. “Can you tell more?”

“Mila, who is this?” Andrew repeated.

“My name is Anthony.” The spy bowed. “The young miss met me during a raid, and because we have a common acquaintance, she decided to spare me.”

“Andrew. What raid? What acquaintance?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Mila was sick of the world trying to tilt to one side. “Move.”

“You are injured.” Anthony dryly noted, and Andrew bristled. “No need for hostilities. It was just an observation.”

“Show the way,” Mila ordered, not commenting on her condition. And she didn’t need to. “To one of Naran’s holes.”

Anthony nodded with understanding and took over the pathfinding from Mila’s hands. “Here.” He pointed and started to walk, keeping his pace slow enough for Mila to be able to follow.

“So, who are you?” Andrew rightfully didn’t trust the man.

“I am not sure I can answer that.” Anthony wasn’t keen on giving away the information. While Mila had worked together with his side back at Ocheon, Andrew had not received a glowing review as she had.

“Oh, nice. You are similar to Mila.” Andrew grumbled. “You can both stew in your secrets, then.”

Mila didn’t have the strength to comment. She kept her movements automatic. It was better not to think about the pain. Ah, she was bleeding as well. The strips of cloth didn’t actually stop that, right? She pondered the issue for a moment, then shrugged. It hurt.

The rest of the path was spent with Andrew grumbling and Anthony politely refusing to reply with anything substantial. Mila floated along, the world blurring around. The night’s cold seeped into her bones. It was so chilly.

“Hey!” Andrew shook her shoulder. “Mila! Keep your eyes open. Is this where we have to be?”

Mila looked at the undulating door in front of her. A drunkard had opened them and studied the trio. A moment later, he recognised her and stepped to the side.

“Mila?”

“Yes.”

“What the hell happened?” Andrew couldn’t wrap his head around why they were led into sewers.

They were close. Mila heard Anthony exchange words with the doorkeeper. She slumped against the wall, her shoulder offering the long-needed support. It was hard to walk.

Why did she have to anyway? Mila’s muddled thoughts struggled to find a reason to continue the struggle. But she did find one. “Isabel…”

Someone was too loud next to her. Was it Andrew? Mila didn’t need a healer. She needed to go and see Isabel. How silly of him. And perhaps a blanket, preferably one big enough for her girl as well.

“Hey, hey!”

An obstacle. Someone was holding Mila. Obstacles had to be removed. On instinct, Mila retrieved her dagger and swung it at the annoyance. But her resistance found no purchase. Was she in danger? Again?

“The fuck, Mila?”

“Andrew?” Right, he was here as well. Maybe she was safe.

“You almost gutted me!”

“No, no.” Why was her mouth so dry? “I wouldn’t.” Mila found the notion stupid.

“We need to get you to a healer.”

“But Isabel is waiting.”

“She can wait longer.”

“That’s stupid.” Mila tried to walk deeper. Her girl was somewhere in these tunnels.

“Wait!”

Mila didn’t. It was kind of hard to walk. It was like wading through mud. Deep and wet and sludgy and slimy mud.

There was more shouting, but Mila didn’t pay attention. She felt someone rush past her and touch her. The impact almost sent her tumbling onto the waving ground. What’s with that? Maybe if she stabbed the floor, it would stop? It was hard to walk like this.

Yes, that was an idea. Mila wanted to raise her hand and swing it down, but she simply collapsed forward and drove her dagger into the ground that way.

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Strangely, it didn’t work. Mila fought against the spinning ground, trying to make her sick. The struggle was epic. She fought bravely and endlessly.

Until a new set of hands found her and hugged Mila. A familiar, calming aroma calmed her reeling mind. “Heyyy…” She was pulled into Isabel’s lap. Mila tried to lift her hand to caress her girl’s hand. “Lov… y…” Words didn’t come out as she wished. The arm didn’t follow her orders either.

Isabel replied. Her words warmed Mila’s heart. It was probably something nice. She smiled when she was picked up and pressed against Isabel’s chest. This was nice. The world didn’t stop spinning, but it felt like she belonged here. Too bad about her head being full of cotton. She couldn’t quite feel the touch of the pretty breasts.

Ah, but finally, Mila could relax. She was definitely safe here.

—

Isabel rushed back to the central chamber. There had to be a healer there. Naran wouldn’t run his gang without one. As far as Isabel could tell, he was too cautious and cared for his people.

“She became delirious at the end. Tried to stab me. Didn’t let anyone touch her.” Andrew followed after. “I don’t know what happened. Mila was like this when she found me. It’s a wonder she could recognise you.”

Mila let out a silly giggle. Somehow, she managed to cling to her consciousness. Not that they could ask her anything. All Mila could manage was a garbled word or a feeble movement.

It broke Isabel’s heart. She feared to hug her girl tighter. Her steadfast Mila was hurt. She wanted to know who had done it. Isabel wanted to know if the guilty party was still alive. She wanted to punish those who had done it.

Someone had to pay.

Isabel forced her mind away from revenge. That could wait. She had to get Mila to a healer.

“I can’t keep up,” Andrew complained.

“Then stay.” Isabel spat out and rushed ahead. There was someone who did manage to keep up. She glanced at the bookish man doing his hardest to tag behind. “Who are you?”

The man winced. Isabel’s tone had been very harsh and demanding. “Just an accountant looking to establish connections and gather information.”

“Nonsense.” Isabel didn’t believe him for a second.

“I am Anthony. Isabel, right?” The man asked. “Look, I am here to see if I can help. If Miss Mila could tell me what happ-”

“There is no need.” Isabel shut him off immediately and pulled her love closer. “She is not talking to you until she has recovered fully.”

Anthony shrugged and slowed down, not daring to challenge Isabel. She sped up again, as much as possible, without rocking Mila too hard.

“Poke.” Mila managed to press Isabel’s cheek with a finger. “It’s cold. Warm me.” Her lips were trembling, and, even beneath the dirt and sooth, Mila’s face was visibly unhealthy pale.

It was hard for Isabel to hold back her tears. “Sure.” She tried to transfer as much heat as possible.

“Better,” Mila muttered.

But Isabel didn’t believe her. She felt how cold Mila’s body was. Her girl was trembling from being cold. And Isabel didn’t miss how Mila had winced when she tightened her embrace. So, it was not just a blood loss then.

There was no way Isabel would argue. “You are welcome.” She gently tried to clean Mila’s face from the dirt that smelled like smoke. There wasn’t much success.

It was taking too long. Isabel forced more and more mana into her muscles, trying to move just a little faster. That’s what she was good at. This was all she could do for now.

Terrifying thoughts kept messing with Isabel’s mind. Every passing second felt like forever. She fought against the intrusive ideas and nightmares trying to take hold of her. She couldn’t lose Mila…

There. Light. Isabel was finally at the main chamber. She pushed past the surprised woman who was watching the tunnel and skidded to stop in the centre.

“I NEED HEALER!” Isabel’s yell filled the limited space. People winced from the sudden noise, and some quicker ones moved closer to see what had happened.

Isabel searched for anyone she would know. But there was no one. While Naran had given them a pass to move in and out, most people worked for him in shifts. Those she had met during the day were gone, replaced by new faces.

“What the hell! Who are you?” One such person showed her ugly face.

Well, not that ugly, but very, very punchable. Isabel searched for a moment longer. “Is Naran here? Or Barcy? Cecilia?”

“No.” The woman walked into Isabel’s line of sight. “Who are you. Answer.”

“She is one of Boss’s guests.” A fatty helpfully added the information from behind. “Arrived today.” He then waved towards one of the tunnels. “There. A couple of minutes of walking. The doors on the right. I’ll show you the way.” He moved to help.

“You are not!” The woman extended her hand and stopped the round man. “Who do-”

Isabel snapped. Her step-in was lightning-fast. She moved her hand with utmost care to not shake Mila. It reached the woman’s face rapidly and just as quickly moved back to hold her love.

The woman’s head flicked to the side. On the side of her face was an imprint of Isabel’s fist. She bonelessly collapsed on the ground the next moment.

There was now a silence, apart from the fatty, who hadn’t stopped moving. “Here, here. Quick. She looks terrible.”

Isabel woodenly nodded and glared at everyone who happened to be in her line of sight, challenging them to do anything more than avoid her gaze.

But there was no time to discipline Naran’s people. She pivoted and ran ahead of the fatty, who didn’t manage to follow her.

Mila tried to speak again. Isabel wondered how she was still holding on. “Shh. Don’t speak.”

Not that Isabel’s words stopped Mila. Her girl moved her lips as if trying to tell she was fine.

Isabel passed the first doors on the right. They were open, but it wasn’t the right place as the room was filled with equipment.

It repeated two more times. Isabel felt Mila’s body going limp. Her girl still managed to reassure her of being ‘okay’ before losing consciousness.

Isabel started to panic. When she arrived at the fourth door, she kicked them out of the hinges, scaring a couple of men hunched over a third on a table with a wounded tight. “I need a healer!” She barged in.

To their credit, the men didn’t try to argue. One of them moved to receive the new patient. He pointed at a free table on the side and let Isabel put Mila on it.

With the utmost care, Isabel placed her girl on the surface. She jumped back immediately. “Move!” She ordered.

While the man shook his head, he did. A moment later, the fatty arrived but left after speaking a few sentences with the healers.

Isabel watched the man murmur words and poke Mila’s body. She refrained from interrupting his work, but it was hard. Did he have to be so rough?

So, instead, Isabel focused on Mila’s face. She looked almost peaceful. Unmoving and cold. This wasn’t right at all. Isabel felt tears stream down her cheeks. The man said something.

“W-what?”

“It would be better if you left the room.” He repeated.

“NO!” Isabel raised her voice. “I-I am staying.”

The man shook his head. He hadn’t stopped poking Mila for even a second. His companion brought a small bottle. It was poured into her girlfriend's mouth. The smell of grass spread through the room.

Isabel bit her lip. The tears refused to stop. It was hard to breathe. She hiccuped a couple of times. Andrew arrived at some point, but she couldn’t even say a word to him.

Grim thoughts kept muddling her mind. Isabel started to pace, unsettling the healers. They once again expressed their opinion, wishing she would let them work in peace.

Isabel refused. She wouldn’t leave. Her whole body was tense. It was so exhausting. For a full hour, the men kept poking Mila.

Until finally. “She will need time to recover.”

Isabel, powerless and weeping, collapsed on the ground while trying to take a step forward. “Thank you. Thank you so much…” She sobbed. Mila would be all right. She would be fine. The worst was over.

It took all her might for Isabel to move again. She almost crawled to Mila and grabbed her hand. “You’ll be all right.” She whispered and gently kissed Mila’s fingers.