I was in the dark.

Literally.

My blindfolded eyes were kept away from any source of light as I was making my way through the forest already darkened by the thin, bluish veil of the night. The cautious sound of my feet on the earthy ground was the only thing I could hear. Even the wind was silent. I could feel its cold caress on my face, slightly reddening my cheeks.

Silence

Nothing but silence.

An eerie, nerve-wracking silence.

I could hear the peaceful beating of my heart. I could hear the sound of my own breathing.

Yes... this kind of silence.

My fingers were carefully running along the rough surface of the tree trunks, hoping to find a clue, anything that could tell me where I was.

Until there was no more trees to rely on. My right hand was left hanging in the air, helplessly.

I hated this. I desired nothing more than tearing the blindfold from my eyes. But I couldn't. It was part of the collective training. We had to be stronger if we wanted to face the upcoming battle for freedom. We had to be stronger if we wanted a chance to win. Suho said I had to learn how to trust my other senses. That's why, even if I hated being sightless, even temporary, I still complied.

For lack of a better alternative, I got lost in my thoughts as I tried to distract myself from this dreadful quietness.

I remembered Sehun's soft expression as I pulled away from his tight embrace, yesterday night. I remembered my mother's face in my dream. I recalled Suho's face when the name unconsciously rolled out of my tongue.

Kim Joonmyeon. The son of the infamous Monarch. The son of my own mother.

I had never heard this name. But Suho had. The way he had looked at me told me everything I needed to know. Kim Joonmyeon was Suho. And Suho was Kim Joonmyeon. Two names. The first one for the person he was supposed to be, the person he was trying to forget : the heir of the abhorrent tyrant. The second for the person he was now. A Guardian. The step-brother of the former King of Exotia's daughter. Me. Two names belonging to one sole person.

A loud sigh escaped from my lips and echoed in the woods.

I heard the crack of a branch.

The sudden pounding of my heartbeat.

The sound of my frantic breathing.

Silence.

Another crack, closer.

I ran. As fast as I could. As far as I could go without the precious help of my eyes. I ran until my hands crashed against a hard, wooden surface. A door, perhaps… My nose caught a familiar smell, that of home. It was the front door of the Jägers' lair. In a swift movement, I searched for the doorknob. Obviously, I wasn't fast enough. A tight grip on my arm dragged me inside and closed