Minho

The waiting is killing me.

If Jonghyun's wrong, we're losing valuable time. Time that Mark doesn't have. How am I supposed to look Lucas in the eye if we can't save his brother? He made those swords especially for Jonghyun and me after his brother was taken.

But if Jonghyun's right.

My gaze settles on the girl.

She looks guiltily at the ground. Jinki tries to calm her down, but she's stressed, I can tell. Who is she? And what did she discuss with Jonghyun to give him the idea that we are in danger? If we really are in danger,Jonghyun must be careful when he explores the high mountains of the Exo Pass.

The sun is slowly setting and a fresh breeze foretells a cold night. I immediately stand up as I see a dark figure approaching us from a distance. I don't know which answer I want to hear from Jonghyun, because I don't like either outcome.

If there really was an ambush waiting for us, it means the royal troops know where we are and what we're up to.

But if it's not true, we'll not only fail to save Mark. It would be my fault that he would die. After all, I kidnapped her and it is because of her that we are now waiting these several hours and doing nothing.

Nervous looks meet Jonghyun's eyes as he rejoins us.

"Minho we should talk." Rarely do I see Jonghyun so serious. But I know things must be complicated when he acts like this.

"What do you want to talk about?" Angrily, Shindong jumps up from his seat and comes towards Jonghyun and me.

"Shindong." I try to keep a cool head. I know what he wants to say, but I don't want to jump to conclusions.

"What, Minho? Even you must see it. How did she know?" His words are loud and biting. She looks scared. I wonder what's going through her mind right now. Does she think we're going to kill her?

"Keep your voice down." I say to him. I try to sound calm, but inside I'm raging. I don't want to scare her. Going with five strange and then wanted men, far from home, must be scary enough.

Shindong only has a despicable snort for me.

"I don't believe it. Are you in love or what?" he laughs wickedly.

His spiteful words hit me. Again, he didn't speak softly, so everyone heard him.

For a moment, my eyes and hers meet. She is slightly flushed and I too feel the heat rising in my face.

"She's not just any girl Minho, don't you get it?" His words sound urgent. But I already know all that myself. And that's why I don't know when I can let her go. Initially, my plan was to release her in Wayv after we freed Mark. Somewhere outside the city that she needs half a day to walk to town and we are already far away. But now I don't know what to do.

"She saved us." Calmly but firmly, Jonghyun now chimes in.

He's right.

"We don't know anything about her. And I don't like it." But Shindong is right too. We don't even know her name. All I know is that she wore the royal colours. If she knew about the ambush, maybe she's part of the army?

It would be news to me that women are allowed in the army, but it would be a step in the right direction. If women were also taught how to defend themselves, then maybe I wouldn't be on the run today. Maybe I could be at home now, with my family. All this would never have happened. I wonder if I have misjudged the k