"That's impossible." Xael whispers quietly, but sharply.
"There's no way I'm taking some Markless girl to run around in my house!"
     I hesitate. Because Xael knows I'm awake at this hour, he can go out spreading my private information. Since Mr. Phillip Trancy was sent to murder me, there's no doubt he had debated the topic with the superior portion of the faculty and staff. I'm aware that my "surprising disappearance" will lead to everyone who works at the "Prestigious Eclipsis Academy" thinking that I've been successfully killed. That was the original plan, the way it was supposed to work out. They had planned every detail, every factor, every single word. And if Trancy had died? They would have assumed he would have deceased while fighting me, but would lie to the students and say he had departed in battle. And there's no way they came up with a plan such as this in a day. The people I have been living with for 16 years have always been planning to pierce my heart, to watch as my soul emptied my body.
The students would be filled with simple lies that I've been "transferred to another academy," or that "the Headmaster sent her to live with her family."
     No matter what lies will be spewed out about my escape, there is only one true fact.
I, Persephone Marie Cassius, was supposed to die tonight.
If Xael doesn't take me to Burncrost Manor, he'll begin to question my intents in his own stupid little mind. He'll spread everything, and I'll be no more than an object, a certain "unexplainable monster" that everyone is trying to destroy.  
I strengthen my grip around the dagger, as I force it even closer to his neck.
"Why are you at the academy at this hour?" I ask.
He almost goes into a full-blown laughing session, but stops when I kick him.
   "It's past the Hour of the Guardians." I exclaim quietly. "If they'd seen you, you'd
be lying limp on the ground, calling for your mother."
    He scoffs, noticeably offended.
"You know the policy," he breathes through shallow winces. "If a students forgets his or her homework sheets, they must come back to the academy no matter weather, absence of transportation, nor instance."
He's right. I guess Eclipsis Academy is an exception.
That cruel academy law was entered into Eclipsis:Book of All 13 years ago, to which many rebelled, though it did not matter, solely because of Trancy's stage of superiority.
I almost begin to feel pity for Xael, but most of me doesn't. I force the dagger closer to his neck, in an attempt to both scare him, and get him to do what I want. The warmth of his neck spreads to my hand, and the smell of his cheap cologne lingers roughly.
"Would you rather die at a young age in a school cafeteria, or take me to the Manor, Xael?" He doesn't speak, but I can feel him fiercely tense up against my threat.
"I'd hurry with that response, regarding that I'm holding an extremely sharp dagger to your neck."
     He stays quiet for a little while longer, his waves of blond hair limp by the sides of his head, until his annoying voice pierces the air once again.
     "Fine." He speaks with such a finality that makes him sound like he's delivering his own death sentence.
      "I'll take you to the Manor."
*
"No human soul, including assassins and Demon Hunters, can step foot outside their homes after the hour of the Guardians has passed."
    -Court Handbook Of Guardians

    Because no one is allowed to drive without the accompaniment of a Guardian, and it is a known and verified fact that Guardians go to sleep at about 10:00pm, Xael and I have to walk to the Manor.
Step by step we make our journey, the dew of the wet grass clearly visible, thanks to its most vibrant sparkles. We had just been freed from the rain, a factor that anyone could guess, solely because of the dripping rooftops, to the puddle-littered grounds. It is quiet, but it's not as if Xael and I want to make conversation. To be honest I didn't even want to see his stupid face tonight.
My left hand is around his waist, with no need to worry about his hands, because thankfully I've already tied them together with some wire I'd stumbled across in the kitchen.
       My right hand bears my dagger, a weapon I am notoriously rumored around the school to wield most effectively.
        The Republic of Illunia had promised my family one gift, something that they could give me before I would leave forever, something that would take the place of their comfort, of their presence. The Cassius family had accepted in a heartbeat, excessively overflowing with joy over the chance to remind their daughter that she had a family who loved her.
      Immediately after, the Republic had announced that they were a generous society, that they were so unbearably great, that they would value the bonds of blood over their own law.
      My dagger set was a gift from my father, Bastien Cassius, before we had shared our final, yet wonderful goodbyes. I remember the day he gave it to me, the small, glittering blades, wrapped in a beautiful silk bag, in which he softly, but strongly said a small sentence.
     "I love you, and don't you ever forget it."
      That man was the one person I had ever felt was mostly like me, with his familiar curls of chocolate brown hair that swiftly invaded his head, the blue-green eyes that seemed to shine like the stars of the night. I will never be able to forget the gallons of rebellion that courses through my father's veins, as it also courses through mine.
         It was on the last day of my first and last family visit, and my father had felt the need to make sure I had a way out, something to save me when I had to protect myself. I needed something to serve as my father, something to do his job when he couldn't.
        That is what I find so comforting about these daggers. Before my father had really ever known me, he had a certain need, or instinct to protect me.
      Xael, the idiot boy who has a knack for interrupting my reveries, does what is in his nature.
     "Why do you even need to get into the Manor?" He speaks with his familiar snobbish tone.
      A scoff rolls out of my mouth, a natural pout forming at the speeds of a fighter jet plane. I glare at him, my one true talent, a stone-cold glare, that not even Medusa herself can survive from.
     "Supplies." I say calmly. "I won't survive long if I rely on cafeteria pears and apples, plus I need a communication device."
    "To communicate with who?" He sneers. "It's not like you know anyone."
     "It's not like you need to know, moron." I replicate his same facial expression, as accurately as I can. It totally works.
"If you don't tell me, I'll make known of your escape to the entire Academy Board." He exclaims proudly, as if he is the one in charge.
I cease walking, and he does as well, obviously because I'm still holding that Khukuri to his neck.
I burst out laughing, a fake carefree spirit, and a fake smile taped to my lips.
"When will you find the time to do that?" I exclaim. "By the time they find you, they won't even be able to identify your body."
Obviously, the psychopath attitude is psyching him out, clearly shown through his widened blue eyes and his slightly parted lips. This new angle of him is making me laugh.
Before he can say any words, I speak.
"Don't worry, Burncrost. Murder has never been in my dictionary." He relaxes, not completely, but it's safe to say, it's at least partly.
"But let me just tell you this," I smirk. "If you even think about spilling this whole little encounter, I will personally make sure that you'll wet your pants with fear every time you hear my name."
                                     *
Xael pointedly tells me where his keys are, as I swiftly grab them and open the door hesitantly.
I quickly stumble in, the sound of my stolen combat boots thumping loudly, as my actions are unhesitant to "house manners."
"Make yourself at home, I guess." Xael scoffs, as he runs after me, as I swiftly disappear into the darkness.
"Where are your parents at this hour?" I speak quietly.
With a flip of his blonde, wavy hair, he smirks with a dastardly laugh.
"My father had especially instructed his Guardian, Alexander, to stay up beyond his time. He and my mother are going to a business party." He sneers.
"Why wouldn't they just take your Guardian for the night?" I say as I walk through the Manor. "You do own one of the Seven Archangels."
The Seven Archangels are a sort of heavenly tribe of supernatural beings only bestowed to certain people. They are very indescribably special, and they acquire many different powers unavailable to other Guardians.
"Persephone, don't you realize that a Guardian cannot be transferred?" Xael scoffs.
"You moron." I breathe." A Guardian may be exchanged if it is a member of the Seven.
Some of the powers can vary from the Powers of the Sea, to the Powers of Life. Each of the Archangels are known to be at a 5-star destructive level, and are considered as the dominant protective level of the Heavens.
Xael, and no one in this world can explain why, owns the Guardian Gabriel, one of the Seven Archangels. It was so easy for me to defeat him solely because Xael is a young boy, an immature user. Gabriel's true powers were limited to how strong Xael's will is.
However, I cannot even begin to explain how I had defeated Trancy's Guardian, Raphael. Over time, Trancy had developed an extremely strong will, and obviously, Raphael was very powerful. Raphael, also a member of the Seven Archangels, should've defeated me in a mere 15 seconds.
The lack of a Mark must mean something. It could even mean that there is something inside me so powerful as to defeat a 5-star Guardian, nonetheless a member of the Seven.
"Where is the kitchen?" I ask.
"This way, darling." He responds.
"Don't call me that, imbecile."
"Call you what?"
"Call me that."
"That is a weird thing to call someone."
"Show me where the kitchen is, Burncrost." I say in a disgusted tone.
We walk through the halls until we reach an opening. Baby photos of Master Xael Burncrost are spread through every corner, and I can't help but begin to laugh. He tries to lead me out as fast as he can, but all in vain, as make sure to stop at every single picture.
I know that we reach the kitchen when I can smell the freshly cooked salmon, the fluffy mashed potatoes, and I will never be able to forget the smell of the cake.
"Have at it, Cassius." Xael speaks as if I was a drooling dog, waiting for a treat.
With a somewhat grateful smile, I dive into the food, quickly filling a second bag that Xael had provided me with. In goes a slice of chocolate fudge cake, perfectly steamed broccoli, golden brown turkey legs, and the finishing touch, well-done T-Bone steaks.
    I gaze around the kitchen, a room 3 times larger than my bedroom, with countless windows, drawers, stoves, and one refrigerator.
    Even though I have taken a countless number of food, there is about enough left to feed the entire Academy Board.
    Xael doesn't even show a twinge of gratefulness, of amazement of all that is created in this room. But I, Persephone Cassius is completely head over heels in love with this kitchen.
    Snapping out of my reverie, I turn around to face Xael.
     "Now I need a communication device." I exclaim.
He sighs, staring at the ground. He begins walking back down the narrow hallway, in the depths of his own baby pictures. The lazy shuffling of his feet make me roll my eyes, an apparent gesture to show how little he really cares.
"Xael," I begin, about to deliver a very painful remark.
Before I can continue, he makes a very rude gesture with his left hand without even stopping or turning around. And this ladies and gentlemen is the rare chance to see Master Xael Burncrost in his natural personality state.
At the end of the hall, he makes a right turn and crosses into a path that leaves him completely out of my sight.
He returns within a minute, a communication device firm in the palm of his right hand.
"Here you go, you're welcome." He remarks slyly.
I immediately glare at him, though the good part of my soul smiles and thanks him.
"Thank you." I say through strained teeth.
*
"Where are you going to go?" Xael asks me skeptically, in an attempt to fire a hole in my plans.
I laugh, the expression on Xael's face turning from pure innocence, to a bitter smirk.
"Do you really think I'd be that stupid as to tell you?" I breathe.
Telling Xael of my future whereabouts would be closely equivalent to planning my own funeral. If I gave him the power of knowledge, my little secret could lead into the minds of the entire Academy Board, which would then be spread to the National Board. After that, I'll be pronounced dead even before my heart stops beating.
     Even so, he still contains the power to snitch. The only possible solution to this would be cutting his tongue out, kidnapping him, etc. What can I possibly do that can lead to a sensible solution for us all?
As I scour the very depths of my mind, Xael only stares at me blankly, as if he is trying to find out what it is that makes my eyebrows draw together in anxiety.
"Persephone." He speaks quietly, almost insensibly silent.
A melting sensation of guilt glazes his eyes, and I can't help but force myself to remember where I keep my daggers.
His golden snake-like eyes shift up to mine instantly, a movement that takes me by surprise, and even moves me back by a little.
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that something has changed. The entire aura of the scene, of the world, of him, as if some evil force dropped a sticky, deadly poison into the atmosphere, morphing and changing all of everyone's current state but mine.
"What is it?" I spit back at him, every one of my senses on lock, determined to find out what this is that makes my blood boil, my stomach churn.
He doesn't respond. His eyes lock back to the ground, and for a second, it seems as if he'd forgotten the entire conversation. He fiddles his thumbs rapidly, each second pausing to take in every minor detail of the moment.
"I'm sorry." As he speaks these small words, it seems as if electricity runs through his voice.