42

River tears through Hadrius’ home.

Her body moves in a dark blur up the stairs, and slams through the first door before she drops onto her knees.

Beneath my bed, you will find a backpack.

Had he known all this time?

Was that why he had been training her?

A wildness grows within her; of terror and suffocating panic as she blindly gropes beneath the large bed for the bag. She almost cries in relief as her hand closes on a strap, and giving it a sharp tug, yanks it from beneath the bed.

The bag is medium sized and filled to the brim. Her curiosity is smothered by her plight and after rising, River hastily strips.

She pulls on random pants Hadrius had made for her - the material breathable and starchy for training - then a shirt, and finally a large sweater. Pulling on her boots, River slings the bag over her shoulder and descends the stairs in a whirlwind while drawing the hood over her head.

The evening casts its d