Aurora’s World: Ialaera: Jillian: Hunted (part 2)

[k_a_webb]

Part 1

Like everyone on the streets Jillian had heard of the thieves’ hideout, but that wasn’t an option for her, because she didn’t know where it was. There had been someone who’d tried to convince her to go with him, that she would be safe there, and if she hadn’t believed that he was trying to get something from her, something that she wasn’t willing to give, she wouldn’t be running from someone she was certain wanted her powers instead. Now, knowing that he was after her, there was nothing she wouldn’t do to ensure her own safety, even though she’d probably end up regretting it.

“You already have regrets, Jillian,” a male voice said, making her jump, and when she turned her was right behind her.

At first Jillian was scared, knowing what he wanted from her, but then her anger, the anger that caused her to be homeless in the first place, got the better of her. “Where did you come from?” she asked, just managing to keep her voice even.

“Your fear calls to me. It has since the moment I first came across you and I can feel you wherever I am, even if I’m in the hideout. When you think of me, of the moment when I take your magic from you and leave you for dead, I know exactly where you are. There have been times before when I could have done this, but I was waiting.”

“For what?”

“A choice to be made.”

“Cryptic, much.”

He smiled. “Unfortunately, dear Jillian, it’s not something I can tell you about, not right now, but there may come a time when I can.”

“It’s hard to talk to the dead and there’s no chance of me surviving if you take my magic from me. Both hunger and the fact I haven’t slept in days will make it pretty much impossible for me to fight for my life.”

“My plan, originally, was to drain you. It’s not possible to have too much magic. However I mentioned that I’d seen you to a couple of my associates and one of them recognised you from the description I gave and he told me something very interesting. When I found that out I knew that my only real option was to take you to the hideout with me.” He smiled again. “I remember you thinking that you would do anything to be safe from me and if you were being honest then…”

Jillian shook her head. She felt like she was dreaming, because she didn’t think for a moment that she would be standing face to face with the man who had been hunting her for weeks and have him tell her that he was going to take her to safety. “Look, sweetheart, I’m not the only thief to know of your existence and when they knew I was hunting you they were willing to keep their distance. That’s the way we work. If any of them find out I offered you sanctuary, only for you to turn it down, they will come after you and they will take your magic, because once that happens it becomes obvious that I’ve found out something interesting about you.”

Mirrored from K. A. Webb Writing.

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