The sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows across the city streets. Agnes stared out the window of their modest apartment, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. Majek sat beside her, his presence both comforting and heavy. The room felt too small for all the thoughts between them—too still for the storm that was raging inside her.
The message from her father echoed in her mind. Every word, every cold promise of retribution, felt like a shadow stalking her. How could she have thought she could escape it? The years of being molded into the perfect daughter, the perfect successor—could she really just walk away from it all? Could she walk away from the empire?
Majek reached for her hand, his fingers brushing over hers in a silent question.
She met his gaze, her eyes tired, haunted. "I don't know what to do anymore, Majek. My father... he's not going to stop. He'll come after me, and he'll use everything he has. And now... now he knows I won't just fall back in line."
He didn't flinch at the weight of her words. He simply gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "We knew it wouldn't be easy," he said, his voice a quiet strength, "but you're not alone in this. We'll figure it out together."
Agnes exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders never quite leaving. "You say that like it's simple," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "But what if it's not? What if we can't fight this—what if my father's too powerful?"
Majek's gaze softened, but his conviction didn't waver. "Then we'll make sure he sees us as a force he can't ignore. It won't be easy. It'll take time. But we'll do this. Together."
She wanted to believe him. She wanted to feel that sense of certainty, that this choice would lead to something greater. But as the hours passed, a deeper fear gnawed at her, something she couldn't shake.
Later that evening, the reality of their situation settled in. Agnes paced their small living room, her thoughts running faster than her feet. She could hear Majek in the kitchen, his movements a soft rhythm, but it was hard to focus on anything other than the impending storm she felt drawing near.
A sharp knock on the door broke her from her spiraling thoughts.
Her heart skipped a beat. She froze, exchanging a glance with Majek, who immediately stepped into the hallway, his face unreadable. There was a coldness in the air, a tension that prickled at the back of Agnes's neck.
"Stay here," Majek said quietly, his hand resting on her shoulder as he passed her.
Agnes nodded, though her heart thudded louder in her chest. Whoever was at the door couldn't be good news.
The door creaked open, and she couldn't help but strain to hear the voices in the hallway. Majek's deep tone, then a muffled voice she didn't recognize. He was speaking to someone, but the conversation was too hushed for her to catch the words.
She stood there, rooted to the spot, anxiety creeping in like a slow tide. Then, Majek's voice, louder now, filtered through the door.
"Get out," Majek said, his tone cold, the kind of chill she rarely heard from him. "You don't belong here."
Agnes moved toward the door instinctively, her breath catching in her throat. What was happening? Who was he talking to?
The door swung open, and standing there in the doorway was a man she didn't recognize. He was tall, well-dressed in a sleek, tailored suit, and had a look of authority about him that Agnes immediately identified. He was someone important—someone who worked for her father, or worse, someone her father had sent.
The stranger's eyes flicked to Agnes for a moment before landing on Majek. "You've made a grave mistake," the man said, his voice smooth but tinged with menace. "Your defiance will be met with consequences. Agnes Lewis doesn't get to make her own choices."
Majek stepped forward, his body positioning itself between Agnes and the stranger. "I don't know who you are, but if you think you're going to threaten her in my house, you're mistaken."
The man sneered, his lips curling into something between a smile and a snarl. "You're a fool, boy. You think you can protect her? You think you can stop what's coming?"
"I don't need to stop anything," Majek replied, his voice low and dangerous. "But you're leaving, now."
The stranger didn't move, his gaze flicking briefly back to Agnes. She could see the subtle gleam of recognition in his eyes before he turned his attention back to Majek.
"You'll regret this," the man warned, his voice laced with a cold certainty. "Mr. Smith doesn't forget. And neither does his empire."
Majek's eyes narrowed, his hand curling into a fist at his side. "Leave," he repeated, his voice firm. "Now."
The man seemed to hesitate for just a moment, but then his gaze darkened, and with one last look at Agnes, he stepped back into the hallway and disappeared.
Agnes stood there, her heart racing. She could feel the weight of the moment, the sense of foreboding that clung to the air. Majek shut the door behind him, leaning against it for a moment as he took a deep breath.
"Who was that?" Agnes asked, her voice trembling.
Majek's eyes met hers, his expression unreadable. "Someone sent by your father. It's just the beginning, Agnes. He's not going to let you go that easily. But we'll handle it."
A chill ran through her, and she wrapped her arms around herself. "I thought I was free, Majek. I thought I could choose what I wanted... but now I feel like I'm just as trapped as I was before."
Majek approached her slowly, his hands resting gently on her shoulders. "You're not trapped. You're just… facing the consequences of your freedom."
"But it wasn't supposed to be like this," Agnes whispered. "I was supposed to be free."
"I know," Majek said softly. "But sometimes freedom isn't given. Sometimes, you have to take it. And taking it comes with a price. But I promise you, we're not in this alone."
Agnes looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and something else—something close to hope. "I don't want to lose this, Majek. I don't want to lose us."
"You won't," he said firmly. "No matter what happens, I'm not going anywhere."
The next few days were filled with a constant tension that neither of them could shake. Agnes barely slept, and when she did, her dreams were haunted by flashes of her father's cold eyes, Lami's possessive glare, and the looming weight of the future she had once tried to escape. She found herself on edge, the quiet moments of their apartment feeling too fragile, as if something might shatter at any moment.
Majek remained by her side, as unwavering as ever, but even he couldn't shield her from the growing sense of dread that clung to her like a second skin.
One evening, while she sat on the couch, trying to focus on the book in her hands but finding the words blur together, Majek approached her with an unreadable expression.
"We need to go," he said, his tone serious. "There's something I need to show you."
Agnes set the book aside, her curiosity piqued. "What's going on?"
Majek didn't answer immediately. He just offered her his hand, his fingers tight around hers as he led her out the door.
They didn't speak as they walked through the city streets, the evening air cool against their skin. Agnes noticed how Majek's grip never loosened, how his gaze remained sharp, alert, scanning their surroundings. It was as if the world itself had shifted, and they were now walking through a place that had become uncertain, dangerous.
When they arrived at a secluded alley, Majek stopped and turned to her. "I know you've been through a lot," he said quietly, "but I need you to trust me. What I'm about to show you might be the only way we can fight back."
Her heart skipped a beat. "What is it?"
He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a small, sleek device. With a press of a button, the screen lit up, revealing a set of encrypted documents.
"This is from a contact of mine," Majek said, his voice low. "It's proof—proof that your father's empire isn't as invincible as it seems. We can use this."
Agnes's mind raced. "What kind of proof?"
"The kind that will shatter everything they've built," Majek replied, his eyes burning with determination. "But we need to move quickly. The clock is ticking."