2 Chapter One

The sky was pitch black, the pale moon watching over the people of Eriden as they found their ways to sleep.

Some people were already at rest, while some sat awake in their homes, doing things that corresponded with their gender; the women did chores and house work, and the men either did paper work, or merely relaxed as they watched the bright light of the moon dance over the city streets.

Only few people roamed the streets, which were never safe at night. Drug dealers and slave traders walked these roads in the darkness, keeping an eye out for both potential buyers or victims. But, seeing that the curfew was getting stricter and stricter by the week, there were less and less people on the streets.

Meaning less and less business.

This made Mary grin.

Sitting atop a roof, she was a woman of the ripe age of twenty three. Her long, straight red hair gently blew in the light breeze as her bright blue eyes twinkled in the moonlight. Long, agile fingers were holding an apple as she took an easy bite into it.

No one noticed her, and she was proud of that.

"We need to hurry back, M. They'll be coming soon. And you know that."

Sighing, the redhead tossed the apple off the roof before standing, pulling her mask back over her face and hoof over her head before turning.

"You always have to ruin my fun, Claurice. Don't you?"

The shorter girl merely shrugged, her hazelnut eyes scanning Mary before she turned. She smiled under her mask.

"Let's just go before we get caught, you idiot."

"Idiot? Who's the one who almost got the Takers on our asses?"

Silence took over the other for a few moments. She winced at that. She'd hit a soft spot on accident.

"... Shut up."

—

A young man's eyes had caught sight of the girls, but he said nothing. Hating his job, he just stood there. If he saw a lady, he merely nodded his head before looking ahead again.

"I thought I told you to keep an eye out, Will. Look what we found."

Another much older man held what had to be a woman in her thirties by the elbow, the woman shaking and pleading for mercy. The younger man frowned before looking away.

"Didn't see her."

Standing there, his green eyes stared blankly at the wall across from him. His dark dirty blonde hair sat atop his head, swept neatly to the side and out of his eyes. At the age of twenty six, he was tall. Taller than most men in this town. Here, they averaged about five foot ten. He stood at six foot three.

Frowning deeply, the older male gave the boy a somewhat upset look.

"William, you know what your father'll say about-"

"I said I didn't see her, Lance."

William glared at the man, eyes sharp as the other sighed and shrugged.

"Fine. You better be telling the truth."

Then, as Lance walked away, William let out a quiet sigh. In fact, he had seen the lady. He'd seen plenty of them on his watch. But he didn't want to even bother. It felt wrong to him to intervene with their lives. Unless they were in danger, of course.

"Hey, Will. The boss wants ya."

Clicking his tongue softly at the statement, William then made his way into the building they were at. Wonderful. Just wonderful.

—

"What the hell do you mean Kaylani was taken?!"

Standing tall, Mary glared heavily at a slightly older girl, who was cowering with wide eyes as she shook. Her voice was shaky as well.

"W-we were getting supplies when th-they found us... they grabbed her and n-nearly had me before I escaped..."

Frowning heavily and rubbing her temple, Mary took a deep breath before speaking.

"Alright, alright... we'll figure this out... just... go get some rest, Lily. Just go before I blow up on you again..."

Sighing, she then watched the other woman rush away before she looked out the window of their temporary base.

One day they'd be free. And she'd be there to see it happen.

She'd make sure of it.