S5 Ep. 7: The Enclave

We were leaving a sanctuary.

Despite the recent boost to my confidence, the guy we took down wasn't at the top of the merc chain.

I'd never seen him before, and he made a lot of small mistakes, which allowed us not only to stop him, but to take him captive.

All the consequences of the battle with Malia and Amara were front and center in my mind.

All the people who were sure to be out hunting.

Ishani's enclave was first up on our rotating tour of the guild housing.

Every two weeks or so, we'd move on to the next.

Security had to be so tight, it would be too taxing on the resources and patience of each house to maintain it for long.

To be honest, it was also a waiting game on both our parts.

They were waiting to see if I was still an asset, and I was waiting until they realized I wasn't and cut me off.

Despite Death's confidence in my abilities, I still wasn't convinced I could track down and harness dark matter.

I paced over to the window and looked down at the grounds.

For the first time in my life, I'd sat and breathed and not worried about the next enemy coming for me.

There was an element of that after I faked my death and went off the grid, but I wouldn't have been able to stay hidden forever.

Moreno proved that in the hardest way possible.

No matter how much I wanted to deny it, I knew it was the truth the entire time I hid away.

Now I was in more danger than I'd ever been.

These grounds, though, were sacred and untouchable.

I had done a lot of thinking, grieving, worrying about what came next until Tristan would inevitably talk me down.

I was ready to leave, even if the concept made me nauseous.

If I were going to get my power back, get my life back, I had to return to the world.

I absentmindedly spun the ring on my finger, not yet used to its presence.

Above all else, I had to be the partner Tristan deserved.

I couldn't be a burden.

My presence was a constant threat to him.