Following the tracks of the road that I came from, I left Lunaris, after everything. I felt absolutely broken, my heart was crippling with pain along with the rest of my body. Using magic to heal my self wasn't an option as the one who attacked me was a witch as well but using magic to die was an option. It was the only way to end my misery and the pain that I had been carrying along for months.

The loud voice of train engine roaring drummed in my ears. There were trains and buses around the area but I dreaded to take any of them as they'll lead me back to Gretel. Everyone in Lunaris were her subjects and I had no intentions on ever going back to her.

I left the town at once and went somewhere far away. They were empty roads around me, and a field behind me that stretched for a miles.

Slumping down on the old, wooden bench, I waited, for a bus that was going to lead me nowhere.

I was drowsy and it was at the middle of the night. The wind was cold and bitter, and the moon was a crescent, it's edge sharp as a knife.

A sigh of frustration left my lips as I watched someone walk slowly across the field. I couldn't see it's face but I was sure it wasn't a creature or a witch.

Leaning over the bench, I closed my eyes and waited until a hand came down my shoulder, scaring the hell out of me.

"Really?"

"Lisa?" My eyes widened.

"You would leave without me?" She asked, disappointed as she slouched beside me. "I'm done,"

"No, no," I shook my head. "How did you leave? What happened?"

"I escaped, just as you did. When Gretel found out that you were gone, Damon helped me to run away as he knew that his ridiculous mother would come and kill me." Lisa explained, rolling her eyes and releasing a huff.

"He did?" Wow. I was amazed. Damon always supported whatever Gretel did except for this one time.

"Yeah, he dropped me off to the train station and I saw you there. I didn't tell him that though."

"So, you were following me?"

"What else?" She struck my shoulders again and I fell down on the bench. "Why did you leave?"

"I don't know." I didn't. "I don't want to be Gretel's little witch anymore," I whispered in the dark and kept looking around, making sure that Damon wasn't following her.

If he was, we'd be both back in Gretel's hell, forever.

Lisa hand lengthened out to mine and she lifted the cloth I was wearing. "You're hurt,"

"I'm fine," I pulled away and hid the marks Gretel had given me. There were too many of them to count. My throat was aching for a breath and my ears were sore after hearing all those voices.

"What did she do?"

"It's okay, Lisa. I'm fine, really." I didn't want to breakdown in front of her. "We should leave," Switching the topic, I stood up.

"Where?"

"Anywhere," I scoffed. Anywhere was better than here. I had been walking for hours and all I felt was pain and pain.

"Luciano?"

My heart skipped a beat. "No!" I snapped at her.

"Why not?"

Gripping the sides of my arms, I looked away from Lisa. "I am embarrassed. I don't want to go to him after everything." There was no way he was going to let me live either way.

"Come on, Red, he's your husband!"

"Still—"

"And, you're mate."

"I can't. He will kill me and if it's not him then his men will kill, someone or the other will." A strong vexation gripped me as I thought about Luciano.

"Red—"

I interrupted Lisa and said, "He doesn't loves me, Lisa and love was the only reason why he let me live after all this. If I go to him right now, he will kill me and I know that."

"How are you so sure about it?" She yelled at me.

I stepped back in defeat and narrowed down my head. I wasn't sure about anything—especially Luciano. There was so much shame and regret burning inside me that I couldn't face him anymore. I rejected him and I did everything to break his heart except for adultery.

Lisa grabbed my elbow and yanked me away from my thoughts. "You're never going to know, not unless you go talk to him. Gretel fed you with shit, she wanted revenge so she forced you hate him and vice-versa. So, we are going to Brittleburgh," It was more of a command than just an piece of advice.

The bus came by three in the morning and when it did, Lisa dragged me inside and pushed me down a seat. The closest place the bus could take us was Whitebridge, where Nana and Lisa's parents lived.

A two hour ride later, the bus stopped at our local bus station and Lisa hopped off.

"Can I at least see her?" I asked, getting off with her.

"No, you're not going to see your Nana unless you speak with Luciano so you're getting in another bus and going to Brittleburgh," She said, pulling my arm to another bus.

"He will kill me, Lisa." I tugged away and stopped at the entrance. The few tears that spilled had already dried out on my cheeks. My heart was racing quicker than anything. I was uncertain and I didn't want to to go to him.

"He won't. Just talk," she patted my shoulder and then twisted me around to go inside me the bus.

Grabbing the cold handle bars, I went up the few stairs and looked at Lisa from a distance. "Goodbye and I'm sorry,"

"Goodbye," she waved her hand at me and then turned around to leave the bus station. Lisa was finally going to be reunited with her parents after almost a year.

And, I was happy for her.

Pain swelled in my gut, I pressed my head against the glass windows and released an irritated groan. This wasn't going to end well. I sat on the edge of the bus, shaking and rocking back and forth as the little hair on my skin rose.

My heart began beating fast as I imagined Luciano, I had never been so frightened by a man, and the more I thought about it, the horror grew.

A woman crouched beside me before the bus started moving. I shifted a little over my seat and continued with panicking and shaking like a lost puppy.

It was almost an hour or forty-five minutes later when the driver announced that we were going to be stopped for routine checks.

My eyes immediately opened and I stopped reclining against the seat as I realized what these checks were for—to find and kill witches.

I got up and went to the front. "I need to leave,"

"I can't stop, miss." The driver replied, his eyes glued on the road.

"No. Stop. I need to leave," I stated, almost groaning as the bus went further to the check point where I could sense a few wolves, running around and waiting to capture someone.

This was the wrong I feared for. Luciano's men were everywhere, patrolling and watching out for any witches. They were going to kill any witch that crossed their borders and I was one.

Recognizing a witch wasn't hard. I was covered with black threads and the way I was dressed up clearly revealed that I was a witch. I'd be dead long before I could even talk with Luciano.

When the driver didn't stop, I swung my hand and pulled down the clutch, stopping the bus by my self. It was a rough and abrupt stop. The passengers inside the bus began screaming at the driver as they weren't able to see me in the darkness.

I grabbed my chance and jumped off the bus.

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