20

~Aspen

Keo knows how to keep his word.

I thought he may have kept me for an extra day, but I've been in this small apartment in Territory Twelve for a couple days now.

And I haven't heard anything from Kastriv. No doubt he's panicking, but I doubt he will find me until Keo wants him too.

Which at this point, I'm convinced will be never.

"Focus," Keo murmurs.

I sigh. "I am focusing."

"No you're not."

"Maybe if you shut up, I could," I snap.

I know I probably should be scared of Keo. Yet over these past days of being near him so much, he's been strangely hospitable, even if he's annoying most of the time.

But he's been helping me tune into my magic. I haven't complained once about that.

I'm meant to be trying to connect to different places across the land. It's been draining, but at points, I actually feel as though I'm close to making a genuine connection to another place.

Why that's valuable, I'm not sure. Keo hasn't told me yet.

I can feel Keo's grin, even though my eyes are closed.