Chapter 3

Eli jumped from the shadows, knocking into the guards and shielding Greer with his body.

"Sword." He shouted, in the brief moment the guards were taken aback by his sudden appearance.

Greer shoved the sword into his palm and he battled the guards off. He blocked, drew a dagger and threw it at one of the guards, spinning in the same movement to duck a blade coming for his head.

Greer stepped back, panting, as she pulled out a... was that a chef's knife? She chopped into the back of the guard who's sword was interlocked with Eli's and the man cried out as his blood sprayed.

It gave Eli the advantage and he killed him instantly. He drew his second dagger and threw it into the last guard's throat.

"Run!" Eli roared, bursting for the gate.

Loki waited for Greer to grab Eli's daggers before following Eli. The guards atop the wall shouted for the gate to be shut and it slowly started to groan inward. Eli jumped through and spun, urging Loki and Greer to hurry.

Loki's legs burned and his heart felt ready to explode. He kept his eyes trained in Eli. Almost there.

Greer grabbed hold of Loki's arm and pulled him into a faster run. The metal gates were almost shut. Greer shoved Loki forward and he crashed into Eli. They both watched as Greer jumped through, barely missing the metal jaws of death.

They weren't able to stop running though. As fast as they could they made their way to the thick forest beyond the city walls.

It wasn't until they had absolutely no energy left before they found shelter in a small cave.

Loki dropped to the ground, not caring what creatures lurked beneath and atop the ground. He fell into a deep sleep.

Eli eyes Loki proudly as he leaned against the cool cave wall. For as long as Eli could remember Loki couldn't talk to the local Baker without tripping over his words, but he'd jumped in a talked up a storm as natural as Eli would've done.

Greer sat with a long sigh and pulled off her cloak. Sweat glistened over her pale skin and soaked her clothes. Splattered blood stoo stark on her hand.

"You saved my life." She said quietly, looking up at him with scared eyes.

"Yes." Eli said, looking triumphant. "But you jumped to defend Loki, and ensured he made it through the gate first. Why would a thief do that?"

She scoffed, a small sound that reminded Eli of a mouse. "Why would a thief be risking her neck to protect the people of Nozup?" She paused her scraping. "I didn't ask to become a thief. Once I was made an outcast, I had no choice." Her eyes saddened. "I lost everything."

Eli looked at her strangely. For she was strange. Not just her features. But her whole nature. "Why would you decide to help Nozup when they turned on you?"

She clenched her jaw. "They hate me under false pretenses. It's how their mindset is. If they'd been taught looking different wasn't a bad thing, I wouldn't be an outcast. If I can show them who the Mayor truly is, maybe a new Mayor can change things." She leaned back.

Eli looked down, wondering if it was possible to change how the people thought. The upper class believed they were truly superior. He believed he was superior. Could that truly change. Did it even need to?

Greer had done nothing to be kicked from nobility. For years he'd been treating her as though she were lesser. It was an injustice that people blindly assumed she was a monster because of her skin. She was the albino girl, and she was beautiful.