Page 34 of Rogue’s Reckoning

"Who?" Dad demands. "Who's threatening you?"

I shake my head, tears spilling over. "I can't... I can't tell you. It's not safe. None of this is safe."

Mom sits down on the bed beside me, reaching out as if to touch me before thinking better of it. "Willow, honey, please. Let us help you."

But as I look at her pleading face, all I can see is years of disappointment and dismissal. All the times she praised Ivy while ignoring my achievements. All the times she made me feel less than invisible.

"You want to help me?" I say, my voice eerily calm. "Then leave. All of you. Just go."

"We can't leave you like this," Dad protests. "You're hurt. You need?—"

"What I need," I interrupt, "is for you all to get out. Now."

They try to argue, to reason with me, but I've shut down. I stare blankly at the wall until finally, reluctantly, they leave. As the door closes behind them, I hear Mom start to sob.

For a long moment, I just sit here, numb. Then slowly, mechanically, I start to move. I pull out a duffel bag and start throwing clothes into it. I don't want to be here anymore. I can’t. Boston holds too many bad memories, too much fear. It’s time for me to leave, go somewhere and get the hell out of the city.

Where? I don’t know. All I know is I can’t stay here.

The Amtrak trainpulls into Portland station in the early afternoon. I step off, clutching my duffel bag tightly, feeling lost and alone in this unfamiliar city. When I arrived at the train station, the first train out of there was to Portland, and that’s exactly where I am now.

My body still aches from the torture and... I can't even bring myself to think about what Lochlann did. I just need to find somewhere safe to rest and figure out my next move.

I wander the streets until I find a small cafe tucked away on a quiet corner. Perfect. Somewhere I can hide for a while and figure out my next plan. Before this, all I wanted to do was get the hell out of Boston.

I order a coffee and sink into a booth in the back, pulling my oversized hoodie tighter around me. The large sunglasses hide most of my face, but I still feel exposed, vulnerable.

As I sip my coffee, trying to stay calm despite the panic bubbling just below the surface, I notice a girl about my age watching me from across the cafe. She has kind eyes and a gentle smile. Whenever anyone has watched me since the attack, I’ve flinched and shielded myself, but with this girl, there’s a sense ofease as she watches me. There’s no pity or questions in her eyes, just sadness. I don’t feel like an animal at the zoo being watched.

After a few minutes, she approaches my table. "Hi," she says softly. "I'm sorry if this is weird, but... are you okay? You look like you might need a friend."

I tense, ready to flee, but something in her voice stops me. She seems genuinely concerned. Tears well in my eyes, and I’m so grateful I have my sunglasses on, shielding them.

"I'm... I'm fine," I manage to say, my voice hoarse.

The girl slides into the booth across from me. "I'm Natalia," she says. "And forgive me for saying so, but you don't look fine. Is there anything I can do to help?"

I hesitate, torn between my instinct to run and my desperate need for kindness. "I... I don't know," I admit finally, and God, it feels so good to admit it. I don’t know if I’m okay. I don’t know if I’m ever going to be.

"I'm new in town. I don't really have anywhere to go."

Natalia's eyes soften with sympathy. "That must be scary," she says. “What are your plans? Do you have something sorted?”

I shake my head, my heart racing as I realize just how stupid I’ve been. I escaped Boston out of fear, but I’m alone in a new city with no one I know and nowhere to go. “I just had to leave,” I whisper.

She watches me for a moment, her eyes soft and her gaze filled with concern. "Listen, I know we just met, but I have a couch in my apartment. You're welcome to crash there for a few days while you get on your feet."

I stare at her, shocked by the offer. My heart fills with warmth and hope, but also fear. "Why would you do that for a stranger?"

Natalia shrugs. "Because sometimes we all need a friend. Sometimes a little kindness can make all the difference. You looklike you’ve been through hell and back. I’d hope that if I were in a similar situation, someone would offer to help me."

I feel tears welling up in my eyes. After everything I've been through, this simple act of kindness is almost too much to bear.

"Thank you," I whisper. "I... I'd like that."

Natalia smiles warmly. "That’s good. I’m glad. I’d be worried about you if you didn’t stay. What's your name?"

I hesitate for a moment before answering. "Willow," I say softly. "My name is Willow."

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