Daniela’s heart thundered in her chest, pumping hard to send blood thrumming into her strained legs. Golden eyes glanced backward at the two boys in hot pursuit, the sight only managed to increase the speed of her heartbeat. The closer boy’s blonde hair flashed in strands of light pushing through the treetops as his slim muscular form surged after her. He was a streak of pure strength slipping between the trees, easily as breathing, and even looking at him heated the blood in her veins...though she did her damndest to ignore it.

Close on their heels was a beast of a young man. His brown hair shone, a little darker than her own. Beyond their golden eyes, there was little in their features to suggest their relation, nothing that screamed ‘siblings’. His form towered over basically anyone in the compound and his shape held more muscle than the blonde boy. The dark haired boy’s bulk showed a sharp contrast to her slender slip of a frame. Excited laughter broke from her lips, ringing through the woods around the compound and sent the birds careening free of the trees in fear. 

Eryk’s muscles burned, long strands of his golden hair flopped over his forehead and threatened to whip into his eyes. Each breath burned his lungs as he chased after her; the dark-haired boy forgotten behind him. Her laughter tinkled in the air, floating back to him. It taunted him to push harder. Run faster. Eryk’s heart pitter pattered in his chest at the need to catch her. That laughter of hers was like a drug and he’d hold himself back each day if it brought more of that laugh past her lips. It was near impossible to keep his eyes from tracing the way her body swayed with each surging lunge away from them.

“Come on boys! You can do better than that!” She called.

Long chocolate curls lifted on the breeze brought forth by her speed and her laughter only rang higher as the boys hollered at her taunting. Each thread of her dulcet tone strummed him. Memories bubbled beneath the surface. Shared pain and shadowed longing echoed within. He’d never spoken his feelings, and days spent like this made that achingly clear in his mind. Jeremy’s voice from behind shattered the thoughts swirling in Eryk’s mind.

“Daniela!” A voice low and gruff grated along her spine. She could hear the reprimand in it, even laced with laughter. Damn, if she didn’t love that laughter. Too much time had passed since Jeremy last enjoyed himself. She turned her head and stuck her tongue out at her older brother. 

“Don’t even try that voice on me!” She called back, her tone mimicked his reprimand without missing a stride.

Long tanned legs allowed Daniela to dart in and out of the trees much faster than the boys, though it helped knowing the woods like the back of her hand. After learning every inch of them the past seventeen years, each spare minute spent among the countless waves of trees, there was little hope they could catch her. But it was fun being chased all the same.

Her gaze flashed backward again as she rounded a tree trunk. She sought out the other boy and when she caught the golden flash of his head right behind her she squealed in delight.

Eryk’s heart skipped a beat. His throat dried up at the way she pitched her voice. This was not the first time he found himself rooting for her to show her giant of a brother who was boss. With a shake of his head he refused the distraction, if he wasn’t careful he’d end up with a face full of bark. Instead he pushed himself harder, his determination to capture her grew with leaps and bounds. Breath thundered through his lungs, pressing hard to get enough oxygen for such an exhausting chasing.

With a mighty lunge forward Eryk wrapped his hand around her wrist. Even as his grip tugged her to stop and used her momentum to spin her around, his touch was gentle. When those golden eyes met his own, his smile gleamed, wide as ever.

He devoured the softened lines of her face, the clear curve of her cheekbone which only served to draw anyone’s gaze into the depths of those molten eyes. Twitches jittered along his fingers, urging him to cup the rounded edge of her jaw. He swelled with the desire to settle his fingertips against the sharp plane that cut up before curving outward to shape the delicate edge of her ear which she tucked those curls behind just so. He swallowed hard at her beauty and it brought a simmering flush to his cheeks.

“Gotcha Danni!” He cheered in delight, his voice sent wonderful shivers of excitement to the tips of her toes. She clenched her jaw in order to minimize the flush which wanted to creep over her cheekbones. Danni didn’t miss the way his lips tightened to a thin white line as Jeremy’s voice cut through the thoughts dancing behind his eyes.

“Daniela, you are gonna get us in trouble one of these days.”

Her gaze dropped at once, away from the lingering expression hovering in Eryk’s eyes. It set her skin ablaze. Though that heat cooled considerably when Jeremy caught up to them. He towered over them, shaking his head with a shy grin for his sister, but that smile dimmed noticeably when his eyes fell to Eryk’s fingers as they slipped from her wrist. 

Danni winked in return. “You enjoy it, don’t play. Besides, it's not like I can get in a whole lot of trouble when my big brother is best friends with the Heir Apparent.” 

Her skin roiled at the mention of Rollo, she hated the boy with a fire that she held in reserve for very few things in life.

“Don’t use me for your trouble-making.” Jeremy shoved her, hard.

“You enjoy these races as much as I do.” She rolled her eyes. 

“I suppose.” He smirked at her, “But you can’t expect me to smooth things over between you two forever.”

Her shoulders rose in a gentle shrug.

A quiet smile curled at the corners of Eryk’s mouth. After having spent half of his life here, he learned it was best to leave them be when they got to prodding. He didn’t really understand it, but he didn’t have siblings so he wouldn’t bother himself with semantics. 

Eryk got a twinge of homesickness for his long gone life in the city. Even riddled with disaster and more than lonely at times, he’d been free. He recalled nights spent under the looming height of skyscrapers, alleys littered with trash, his mother’s cold body, and countless orphanages handing him off from one to another when his attitude got to be too much. It might not have been the best, but he was free to do as he pleased.

Their races were one of the few shreds of freedom within the walls—besides nights with Drew, his adoptive father—he sighed at the loss of his home. But no way would he give up this life if it meant never meeting her. His closest friend and confidante. A piece of make-shift family who managed to make him open up after the loss of his mother. Daniela, the only bright spot in life when he was first brought to their settlement... 

Jeremy’s voice yanked him back into the present. “I can’t put you above Rollo.”

The coldness with which he spoke was bone chilling and completely out of place for Jeremy, yet that caustic tone became increasingly present the closer he grew to Rollo. Eryk gritted his teeth against the thought of what Danni told him; the countless times Rollo tried to corner her, touch her. According to the darkness in Danni’s gaze, she recalled the same.

Danni shook her head softly, to free it from the wave of disgust which the memory shouldered to the forefront of her mind. Her smile was forced as she turned her eyes back on Jeremy.

“Yeah, yeah.”

Just then, Eryk’s stomach chose to let out a rolling growl and the others chuckled. 

Jeremy shoved his shoulder. “Well then, I guess we should get to mess.”

They turned toward the center of the compound with an uneasy truce between them. It was nearly lunch time anyways.

For a moment, the urge burned to kick her legs into a run again, or at least a jog. But, that wouldn’t do in the wilderness between the homes. Someone would report her to Jeremiah and the mere thought set her blood to curdling. She fought back the images—so many memories of blood and violence, of disciplinary action—that his mere name sent surging through her skull. Danni forced herself to swallow down the fear and disgust at the back of her throat. 

Her body schooled itself into the most respectable of tempos as she meandered along. The soft flesh of her hand tingled for the press of Eryk’s in her own, but not out there—not in the midst of the community. She didn’t want whatever punishment might be in store for the two of them if anyone knew they touched, even so innocent as they were, without permission from the Leader... She shivered.

Blood gushed behind her eyes as a memory jostled to the forefront of her mind. That empty room in the Leader’s home. The place that he met new potential residents, the place where he meted out punishments he saw fit to bring down on their people. She wasn’t there when Julie’s sentence was carried out but there were many punishments since then. She could imagine the pain wrought upon her darling Julie, and the thought of being the reason for a punishment for Eryk poisoned her stomach. 

“Danni?” Eryk’s soft voice broke the memory and she shook her head to clear away the sight of blood. Tension slithered down her spine as she turned toward him.

“Hm?”

“You haven’t grabbed a tray.” He gestured at the rack before her.

She blinked hard, wiped away the red tint to her vision and saw that they were in the mess hall. Instinctively she snagged a tray and moved to follow after Jeremy’s towering form ahead of them. The scent of meatballs washed the remnant copper tint from her nose and her stomach yowled in response. Her mind stayed distanced, pulled away in the emotions from that memory and worries of the night to come as she gathered her lunch from the servers. 

Jeremy broke off at once, his path straight for Rollo and her heart dropped in her chest. She should have been used to it, should have moved on without a pause, but it was impossible. Her eyes burned as she hesitated before turning to their usual table, Julie’s brick red hair gleamed there in the sunlight from the windows. Bloodied memories—still fresh within Danni’s mind—stole her from the present, but her body went through the motions.

Danni got lunch with little to no enthusiasm and worry pressed into Eryk’s shoulders. He couldn’t tell where she went when lost in thought but he saw the pain clear on her face. 

His teeth ground together; if there was one thing he hated most in the world, it was feeling helpless. Even as an orphan on New York streets he kept himself from that sensation. But, there were no adjustments to be made and it shot him in the heart every time he tried. His gaze tracked her movements, ready to reach out in a moment if she stumbled in her absent-minded state. When they settled into their table his tray thumped down next to Julie’s and her beautifully soft features beamed up at him in a gentle smile, he spared her a glance paired with the tiniest of smiles before his mind shot back to Danni.

Ever since her mother died, Danni became prone to slip into the confines of her mind. She wasn’t there behind the shimmering gold of her eyes. Any time he saw that, it stole his breath away. After checking to make sure they were alone, only Julie’s silence echoed around them, he slid his hand over the table and tapped his forefinger on Danni’s knuckle.

Julie barely met his eyes, the slightest glance of contact as she offered a small shake of her head. The intention behind it was clear, don’t. She was so much like Danni, always trying to keep others safe.

“Earth to Danni.”

Her eyes shot to him. She shone out from behind them and he sighed softly in relief. Their gazes only met for a second before she dropped hers back to the table. Fear gouged at him from her expression, it upset him but he shook it off. It was worth it to bring her back. They weren’t supposed to touch, lately though, those glancing touches lit a fire in his chest and scared him more than usual.

He swallowed against the swell that filled his throat at the thought. The soft press of her hands under his fingertips in their wooded sanctuary, even if in nothing more than friendship, sent a jolt through him each time and became the main reason he loved those escapes so dearly. For her it would always be the woods, but he was only ever drawn there by her.

“Eryk!” She hissed, her voice pitched low. “You know better.” 

He grinned in the face of her anger and she scowled back at him. She grumbled under her breath at boys and how they couldn’t listen for anything.

“What do you want, Eryk?” Danni questioned.

“Nothin’.” He mumbled around a mouthful, sauce rolled down his chin. She chuckled half-heartedly, barely biting into her own.

“Well still,” Danni’s stomach flipped, she glanced at Julie who merely shrugged and downed the last bite of her sandwich.

“I checked first...”

“Not in here Eryk, never in here. Okay?”

He grumbled agreement and continued eating. Her eyes drifted to where Rollo and Jeremy sat a couple tables over just in time to catch on Rollo’s frozen stare. His eyes lit at the contact with hers and he nodded, a wicked smirk curled his lips. Immediately her gaze dropped to her food.

“What do you wanna do after chores, Danni?”

She shook her head.

“What? Now you don’t want to spend time with me? Too boring for you?” Eryk sing-songed playfully. 

“Not today. It's the third Wednesday…” Her voice was frozen.

His jaw jumped. Fuck.

“I’m sorry…”

Danni’s face blazed with false warmth, “Why? It’s a blessing to feed our Leader.” Inside she shriveled, her mind retreated from the night to come. Julie scoffed low in her throat alongside them, the table groaned as she left. Silence built between them. 

Jeremiah always set her on edge. Hell, he set everyone on edge.

When her eyes turned back to glance at Eryk from under her lashes, pity shone from him and sent a dagger into her chest. He didn’t even know and he pitied her. Not for the first time she wondered if she shouldn’t fill him in on the hidden but fully accepted ‘rules’ of their community. Yet, when she looked into those eyes, if she told he’d do something foolish. She couldn’t.

She ran her tongue over her teeth. “You and Jeremy should hang out.”

“As if. He doesn’t have time for me if you’re not there.”

“Maybe you should be the one to ask. Did you ever think of that?”

“I’ve tried Danni, he doesn’t care.” Another bite from his meatball sub, hers laid there with the tiniest bite taken out of it. Her stomach wouldn’t have kept it down if she could convince herself to eat any more. It didn’t matter that it was her favorite.

“What about Adaline? Julie?”

“Adaline has a stick up her ass, Julie…” His voice trailed off. It struck her heart. Her throat bobbed as she held back the memory. Adaline’s face swam behind her eyes, the normally soft-spoken blonde’s expression twisted in rage. Morphed with longing and hatred. That day left a barb in Danni’s heart. Adaline might have turned Julie in, but Julie would not have said the things she did without Danni’s urging.

“She might not be able to talk with you there, but that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t like to spend time with you.”

“I just,”

“Yeah…” She caught her lip between her teeth, it could be hard staying happy around Julie with pain hanging in the background. It happened before Eryk joined them, but he learned of it soon enough. He’d encouraged her to open up again when she confided her conflictions about Julie to him. How could she fathom letting back in the very person hurt for supporting her dreams of escape? Especially with the consequences of that support yawning between them.

Julie never talked. She couldn’t. They’d taken her tongue to make sure of it.

It had taken a long time to get past that particular hurdle.

“Come on, she won’t bite.” Danni smirked.

“Yeah, okay.” He dipped his head. 

She switched topics easily in an attempt to distract both of them.“What’s your job this afternoon?” 

“Firewood. I’ll be in the northern grove, how about you?”

“Herbs.”

“What’s new?” He rolled his eyes. Sadness colored his features when he glanced at her untouched food but she waved it off. 

“I’m having a feast tonight. I’ll be fine.” 

He sighed and grabbed both of their trays, he dumped the remnants into the trash bin. As he finished, he raised his eyes and caught sight of her darting out the door with a half-hearted wave over her shoulder. It struck him like an arrow to the chest, her running off without even a good-bye. If there he abhorred anything in life, it was not saying good-bye. A flicker of memory, his mother, shimmered behind his eyes before he blinked her back into the shadows.

No doubt—he hit a nerve, but that wasn’t rare on the third Wednesday. He wished it didn’t leave him feeling like an afterthought… Though he supposed today, he truly was, her focus should be the Leader and their appointment.