SALEM.
   â If I didnât KNOW any betterâŚâ
 her approach is silent, as always. the moment her sight had landed on the assassinâs son, her thoughts had taken a turn. first cinder â a still peculiar case â and now mercuryâŚ.both on this little island in this strange world. sheâs beginning to suspect that the rest are LURKING about. maybe tomorrow sheâll find tyrian harassing the locals or watts holding some unimportant conversation. maybe even emerald was off taking part in some petty thefts.Â
    â I would think that a decision to leave the castle and come here was made without my knowledge. â
  salem halts before him, head tilting to the side. a hand shifts, resting atop the boyâs shoulder, fingers curling inwards slightly. no pressure is applied, no digging of the nails is added â a simple and relaxed touch. but it held no warmth nor comfort. blood red hues shift downwards, watching for the tiniest shift in expressions. the smallest inclination that her words held some truth.
        " But that would be ridiculous â right, Mercury? â
@semblessâ â s.c.
  HIS BLOOD RUNS COLD, ice spreading through his veins && taking root around his mind as that all too familiar voice enters his ears. the moment of silence that lingers leaves his heartbeat racing, aware that it didnât mean she was GONE; that as much as he hopes it was merely his imagination, she is very likely still there, observing him -- because sheâs quiet, eerily so. more than he could ever dream of being as an assassin.
  as he turns around, his worst fears are confirmed. a slow, hesitant crane of his neck allows his gaze to lock with hers, the rest of his body soon to follow suit so he can fully face her wrath -- or lack thereof, knowing her. no, her anger was often just as quiet as her footsteps, save for when it came to a certain someone.Â
  && that near silent rage was scarier than anything he had ever seen -- especially the punishments that usually came thereafter.
     â s - salem, i -- â he begins, breath quickening as she approaches, then stopping all together once sheâs directly in front of him. the hand that lands on his shoulder causes him to flinch despite the lack of pressure, gray hues slowly lifting to peer up at her, though his head remains lowered, as though heâs afraid to make any sudden movements. he can feel the expectancy behind her words, the mute desire for a reply -- && fast, but what can he say ? the truth isnât any better than the outrageous hypothesis sheâs presented. still, if he lied, he had no doubt he was as good as dead.
 it takes all of his strength to find his voice, shaky && no higher an octave than absolutely necessary for her to hear him.
     â i -- itâs not like that.. we... all of us were brought here against our will -- && we donât know how it happened. i.. i just woke up here, i donât know why -- â he pauses, biting his tongue to prevent himself from babbling. â .. we didnât run -- itâs this city. it.. took us. â













