I had no concept of time.

I opened my eyes, noticing the golden sunlight streaming in from the high window, cascading onto the floor. How long had I been asleep?

I got to my feet, taking slow steps towards the door. I glanced down at my wound, now raw and somehow uglier than before. On the positive side, the body ache was gone for the most part.

As I emerged outside the room, I realized I was in a part of the warehouse that I hadn't really been to before. I walked slowly past the narrow corridor outside, emerging to cheerful voices.

"Aster!" someone called. "Great to see you on your feet man!"

I turned to see one of the twins, Josh I assume, smiling at me. It was then that I realized he was the one who had found me in the alley. I nodded at him, my eyes searching for Zeph immediately.

"Maybe don't start running around just yet," a familiar voice said as my heart skipped a beat. I turned around and sure enough, he stood in front of me. I couldn't see any sign of injuries which was surprising to say the least. But then, he had said that he would heal quick.

"H-how do you feel?" I asked him in a low voice, making sure no one was within earshot.

He shrugged. "Perfectly fine. What about you though?"

"I'm okay," I said. "The pain is almost gone."

"Let me see?" he reached for my arm as I took in a sharp breath, his touch making my mind recall last night. How tender he had been. How gentle. How loving. It couldn't possibly have been a dream, could it?

His eyes narrowed as he studied my arm. "That's...gonna take a while to heal up," he sighed before he glanced up to look at me. I stood still, breathless by the time his eyes roved over me. He cocked his head slightly and smirked. "Now you look like you belong here."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I wrenched my arm away from him.

He chuckled. "You no longer look like the well kept, pristine, rich boy of the Capital. You look like a rat."

"Aw, Zeph," I rolled my eyes. "You're so sweet."

"Thanks I try," he grinned, clearly enjoying this more than he should. "So are you ever going to tell me, why you're here?"

I gazed at him for a while, ignoring his question as my mind drifted back to his offer from last night. How odd would it be if I were to settle here? Dad couldn't care less. And I could learn the Hawks' ways. It would be hard, yes, but I would have Zeph around.

"Can you...mark me?" I asked, nodding at my forearm where the grotesque wolf mark was seared in a deathly red.

His grin faltered. He pursed his lips, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he stared at me. "Yesterday, you told me that you would," I insisted. "I think...it would be good. So-"

"No," he said shortly as my heart sank. "No, sorry."

Before I could ask anything, he turned and started walking away. I followed after him, stunned. "What...n-no?"

"No," he said again, leaving no room for argument.

"It was your idea!" Why was he suddenly so against it? What changed overnight?

"It was a stupid idea," he said, picking up pace till we were almost sprinting through the narrow hallway.

"No," What the fuck was wrong with him? "You were right. It-"

Before I could finish my sentence, he turned around, glaring at me sternly. "I said no, okay? That's the end of that."

"But...why?" I asked, astounded by his behaviour.

"I don't know what I was thinking," he shrugged. "It was a bad idea to even suggest that. So you need to forget about it. Also-" he glanced at his wristwatch, averting my eyes, "you need to leave. It's almost afternoon and you've not been back home for almost half a day."

"I...don't think I'm returning," I said. "Pretty sure dad would like it better this way."

His eyes widened, "What the fuck do you mean?"

I shrugged. "He doesn't want me back. He doesn't need me."

"Of course he doesn't need you," he said, clicking his tongue in frustration. "But...you can't just not go back home. Why the fuck would you want to willingly live in this-" he waved a hand dismissively around him, "-hellhole?"

"You guys live here," I shrugged. "Look, I know it's going to be hard to adjust and...but I want to. I'll learn. I'll manage."

"You're not learning or managing or adjusting or anything, get it?" he said, taking a few steps closer to me. "Are you out of your fucking mind? This place fucking sucks."

"I'd...rather stay here," I said, desperation rising in my chest. "Don't...send me back. This is much better for me."

"You've gotta stop acting like a bratty little child, Goldie," he clenched his fists. "Think of what you're asking. You'll get weary of this in two days. And how can you just abandon your family like this? Once you become a resident of this place, there's no going back. The underbelly marks you. Corrupts you. Why would you willingly give yourself up to that?"

"Zeph, listen-"

"No, Aster," he framed my face with his hands, forcing me to look at him. "You listen to me. What happened yesterday-" he grabbed my arm, gently tracing the wolf mark, "-stuff like this happens here. It's vile. Dangerous. You don't belong here. After seeing you like that last night-" his eyes darkened as he chewed on his bottom lip and sighed, "I don't ever wanna see you like that again."

"But...I'm fine, Zeph," I insisted. "Look, I don't care," I said. "I'd rather stay here with....you. I feel most at home."

It was strange. He was right. It was dangerous in the underbelly. But somehow around him, I felt safer. Way safer than I ever had at my own home. 

"No," he said firmly again, any sign of tenderness evaporating in split second. "Drop it now."

"Is this because...you don't really think of me as a part of the Nest?" I asked, his words from last night returning to me.

"Of course I don't," he said, unapologetically. "You're not one of us, Aster. You're from the Capital. But that's okay. I don't need you to be a dreg of the society to be friends with you. But I can't let you willingly bring yourself down to our level."

Was he right? Maybe. Maybe it was my desperation that was making me act rashly.

"You...go back, alright? Stay there for a while till you heal completely. You have to prepare for the carnival thing anyway, do that."

"I won't be a part of that," I admitted, sighing as he raised an eyebrow. "Dad's...well, he's making some other guy stand in for me. Pretending him to be me. So..." I chuckled, "I'll be free I guess."

"Father of the year, huh?" he sighed before he lowered his tone. "I'll come to see you later this week. For now, go back home and recover."

"You...will?" I asked. He nodded as I continued, "You don't even know where I live."

I stared in surprise as his cheeks turned a soft shade of pink. Was he blushing?

"Er...I've got sources. I'll...figure it out," he raked his fingers through his hair as I gazed at him still in shock.

"Define these sources," I asked curiously.

He sighed, his cheeks turning redder by the minute. "Er...well that day, when you left kinda mad-" he took a deep breath, shuffling his feet. "Well...it was my fault really. I was being pretty bitchy."

"No way!" I said with mock surprise. "You're always such a sweet and polite person! A perfect angel!"

He rolled his eyes before he continued. "Well...it was really late and...I was afraid you're gonna get hurt. So...I tailed you home."

My cheeks burnt as I gaped at him. How hadn't I noticed? But then again, the way he slipped in and out of shadows would make it impossible to notice him. Especially if I had been angry and distracted.

"Oh," I said lamely. "I...thanks for that."

I could never understand how Zeph noticed things that I thought he wouldn't. Me slipping out of Zyra's party when he had been so involved with Zia. The little things- him following me home to make sure I wasn't hurt. I hadn't even known he was looking out for me. Now that I thought about it, I could name a million other tiny things he did. Was he the one who had put me on the mattress the day I had gotten drunk?

"I need to leave...I'll see you later, okay?" he said suddenly. He turned and left without another word and I watched him walk away, a million questions swirling in my brain.

                                                                                                  *

My home was mercifully empty when I entered.

Maybe he was at The House again? Or maybe he was training his 'son.' The idea was so ridiculous and yet a twinge of pain in my chest made me quickly divert my mind. I ran over to the kitchen where one of the servants was leaning against the counter, his nose buried in a magazine.

I ignored him and pulled a pack of cereal from the top shelf, making my way briskly out of the kitchen and upstairs to my room. There was no way dad hadn't noticed that I had been missing for so long, was there?

What if he hadn't?

I climbed onto my bed, shoving a handful of cereal into my mouth and vaguely wondering how my dad would react if he saw me. After eating for a bit, I took a shower, studying the various injuries on my body that still felt sore when I moved. Zeph had said that it would take a long time to heal, and I assumed the same.

Why had he blushed though? And why was he being so gentle with me? Especially after pretending like he hated my guts?

I couldn't let the spark in my heart ignite. The tiny flare of hope. It was too dangerous.

That night, just before dinner, I was startled awake from my nap by Mel. Much to my disappointment, she informed me that my dad wanted to talk to me. And there was no way that was good news.

Apprehensively, I made my way downstairs. He sat at the dining table, reading a pamphlet. On noticing me, he folded it and kept it neatly beside him, giving me a small smile. "Asteroth."

"Dad."

Something was off. No way it was normal for him to refer to me so kindly. He was going to yell. To tell me off at least. Unless, he hadn't noticed that I'd left at all? In spite of myself, the thought sent a pang through my chest. He gestured for me to sit and I did, trying to act nonchalant.

"Let's not beat around the bush," he said as the cook placed a bowl of rice in front of me and left. "I have information that you have been mingling with those from the underbelly. Is that true?"

My heart plunged to my stomach. "No," I said firmly. "What makes you think so?"

He sighed, interlinking his fingers as he placed his elbows on the table, resting his chin on his hands. "Do not lie to me, Asteroth. I have eyes everywhere. I have known for a while, but wanted to give you a chance to realize how dangerous that can be and cut off your ties."

I had two options. To straight up keep denying it. But he was right, he had eyes everywhere. Of course he knew. How long had he known? Does he have spies all over Lightfall?

My second option was to admit and refuse to say anything else. But the possibilities were low. If he knew I was friends with the Hawks, he would possibly ground me forever. And worst of all, force me to give up the location of the Nest. I wouldn't put it past him to torture me for intel. And then what? Imprison Zeph? The Hawks hadn't done anything to directly hurt my dad yet. They were just on the radar as an active group.

"No." I glared at him, balling my fists under the table.

"Did they do this to you?" he asked after a while.

I instinctively looked down at myself, wondering what he was referring to before he pointed at my face and I quickly lifted my hand. The grooves and ridges of a scar on my cheek. My blood ran cold. The wolves? 

"No," I said firmly. "I scratched myself."

"Asteroth," he sighed and rose to his feet, his arms behind him as he walked over to me, standing way too close. "Do not force me to take the twisted route. Just answer me honestly."

He towered over me, his eyes dark. If he knew I was friends with the Hawks, it was possible that he knew their location as well. What if he had spies after me? I had to alert Zeph.

"You're wrong," I shrugged, taking a spoonful of the rice and chewing it. It felt like chewing sand.

I took another spoonful of the rice, extremely aware of my dad's burning gaze on me before I dropped the spoon onto the table with a clatter, a sharp stinging pain making me cry out. I glanced at my wrist, where angry burn marks seemed to have appeared over the fading scars. Horror clawed at my chest. I glanced up at my dad, suddenly seeing a stranger as his eyes flashed.

"I urge you to understand the seriousness of this, Asteroth," he leaned over the table, his knuckles white with their tight grip on the surface. "Do not force me to take harsh measures."

My blood ran cold. What was he threatening to do? He had never used his light magic on me. Never, before this. How far would he go?

"Figure out your loyalties," he said, his voice terrifyingly cold. He straightened back up as I still felt a visage of the burn on my flesh.

I got to my feet, turning away from him, cradling my burnt hand as I swiftly made my way back to my bedroom and shut the door behind me, chill after chill running down my back.