It had been a week since Owen kissed Alexander on the balcony. Owen had been avoiding Alexander ever since, which hadn't gone unnoticed, as Shauna and Ronan had both asked Alexander about it. He told them he didn't know because he wasn't comfortable sharing that Owen had kissed him. Alexander also didn't know if Owen would be comfortable with it either. Otherwise, he wouldn't be avoiding Alexander.

Alexander had finished training for the day and was lying in bed. Over the last week, he had taken the time to consider how he had felt about the kiss. To be honest, he wasn't sure how he felt, but he did know that he didn't hate it, which left him to question whether he liked it or not.

Alexander sat up in his bed and decided to go for a walk. He needed to think, and sitting in the bedroom was doing nothing but make him anxious. As he walked out of the castle and towards the lake's edge, he spotted Owen. For a moment, Alexander debated on whether to approach him. When he got close, Owen looked up, then looked flustered and avoided looking at Alexander.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" Alexander had to know if it was because he regretted kissing him or if it was because of the conversation they'd had on the balcony. "Do you regret it?"

Owen seemed to understand immediately what Alexander was asking, and he quickly shook his head, "Of course not!" His face flushed, and he looked away, "I'm sorry… I should have asked first. I avoided you because I thought you'd be angry with me."

Alexander debated about what to do.

"I'm not angry."

Though, just because he wasn't angry didn't make him any less confused. Sure, he had never been attracted to any of the girls in school. But he hadn't been attracted to any of the men either. So, what did that mean? Suddenly, Alexander found himself leaning towards Owen, and this time, he initiated the kiss.

Owen pulled away and glanced around as if he were afraid of something. Alexander stepped back, "Sorry… maybe this isn't allowed here? Is that why you avoided me?"

Owen shook his head and lowered his voice, "It isn't that. It's my family."

Alexander understood now. Owen was royalty, which probably meant he was expected to marry and have children—something Alexander couldn't give him.

"I see…"

They both went quiet, neither really knowing what to say at that point. After a while, Owen excused himself and left, Leaving Alexander to his own thoughts.

Alexander stared across the shimmering surface of the lake and sighed, "figures that I try to understand my feelings only to be shot down immediately."

Later that night, when Alexander had gone back to his room. He realized it had actually hurt when Owen had pushed him away, especially when it was he who initiated everything. Now, Alexander was left to his own devices. Well, it wasn't as though he could stop feelings from coming up, but now he had to ignore them.

A few nights later, Alexander was in his room waiting for the guards to change shifts outside. The last few days had been torture for him, as he wanted nothing more than to kiss Owen again, which he knew was impossible. However, he couldn't ignore his feelings anymore, knowing that Owen likely felt the same but wasn't in a position to act on them.

As soon as the guards started talking and changing shifts, Alexander managed to climb from his window and take off. His goal was simple: leave the city. While Alexander realized this was stupid, he felt he had little choice. His feelings for Owen weren't disappearing but instead growing, and Alexander found himself wishing to leave. More than that, he found himself wanting to fulfill the prophecy and save everyone.

If he couldn't do anything regarding his feelings and couldn't go home either, he would instead fulfill the prophecy and save Ellond. Save Owen. Alexander had left a note behind even though he knew it would likely upset Owen that he had left the way he had. Alexander knew that if he had tried to leave openly, he would have been stopped.

Alexander was glad that Ronan had taught him a concealment spell. This allowed him to get past the guards in the tree line and head deeper into the forest. Away from the city, once he was far enough away. He released the spell and pulled a map from his pocket that he'd stolen from the library.

The map showed him where he was and where the city was. It also showed him where the outposts were, which gave him a clear escape route. Well, escape was probably the wrong word, but it was similar enough, considering he wouldn't have been able to leave if they had known. Alexander was grateful that they wanted to protect him, and he was glad they were hospitable. Still, he didn't want anything to happen to any of the people he had met so far, especially Owen, who he had grown to care for far more than he had ever thought possible.

That was nearly two weeks ago now.

Alexander had been sure the location should be around here, but nothing was in the area. In all the texts in the library, an all-seeing prophet was supposed to live in this area. Still, all Alexander could find were the same trees and rocks that had been everywhere else on this trip.

Finally, he gave up and sat down on the ground, folding the map up and placing it back in his pocket as he heaved a sigh. He had thought this would be simple. Find the prophet and fulfill the prophecy. Alexander hadn't believed that the prophet wouldn't even be where the texts said.

Alexander felt a scream erupt from his throat as a searing pain shot through his back, and he collapsed forward. As Alexander lay on his stomach, attempting to get his breath back, his back felt like it was on fire. Which wasn't far off since the spell just cast at him was a fire spell.

Alexander did his best to avert his gaze upward as footsteps approached him from behind. The man who stood in front of him had short, darker brown hair and a tall, slender build with pointed ears. An elven man that Alexander instantly recognized, Ciaran Leinster. One of Owen's eldest brothers who had gone missing a few days before Alexander left the city.

The same man who had given Alexander the idea to flee the city and helped him steal the map.

"You know how difficult you made finding you?"

His voice was darker than Alexander had heard anyone speak before, like the bass from an instrument that was tuned wrong. Alexander couldn't find the words to speak and found it hard to stay awake with the debilitating pain radiating from his back.

"Apologies. I needed to make sure you stayed put."

As Ciaran said this, he grabbed Alexander. He yanked him upright, sending shooting pain up his back and radiating throughout his body, which caused his world to grow dark.

The next thing Alexander knew, he was waking up in a dimly lit cave. With no pain. For whatever reason, Ciaran had healed the injury he'd given Alexander. Still, he couldn't move. His hands were tightly bound, and so were his feet. When he attempted to twist his hands to free himself, the pinching pain grew worse as his skin became raw from the coarse rope that bound him.

What's more, even had he managed to free himself, he realized something that made his heart sink. The map was gone. Without it, he knew he stood no chance out in the wilderness, let alone finding the prophet.

"Ah, you're awake. Good. That means we can begin soon."

Alexander looked toward where the voice came from. Ciaran was approaching him, twisting a blade in his hands.

"What do you plan on doing with me?"

Ciaran laughed. A menacing sound that reminded Alexander of a low growl.

"I think that obvious. I'm going to kill you. Of course, ceremonially, so you can't be healed. You see, the prophecy says you will determine the fate of this sad world. To be perfectly honest, I don't think it deserves to be saved, and based on your personality, I think that’s what you’d do, yes? I would rather prevent this prophecy from ever coming to pass, if I kill you. It won’t and this world will perish."

Alexander's eyes widened in sudden realization, but before he could speak the words, someone else spoke them for him.

"The attacks, were you? Why? Why betray everyone!"

Owen had somehow found Alexander and his brother, and judging by his expression, he was anything but pleased.

Ciaran frowned. "How did you find me?"

Owen held up a note—the note Alexander had written before he left the elven capital. In the letter, he told Owen that he had planned on finding the prophet and fulfilling the prophecy to save him and the rest of the world. Owen must have known where the prophet was, and that was how he had found them, just in time, too.

Ciaran gave a deep sigh, "A pity too. I didn't want to have to kill family in this ordeal, but it would seem I need to."

With those words, he charged at Owen, leaving no room for escape as they collided with the cave floor. They twisted there for a moment like wolves in a territorial fight. Owen tackled his brother when they were back on their feet, a clean shoulder-to-shoulder hit that arched Ciaran's spine. The blade clattered from his hand and skittered across the cave floor.

"Owen!" Alexander twisted at the rope again, sending more pain through his wrists as he attempted to free himself.

Ciaran and Owen both lunged for the abandoned weapon. Ciaran was just a bit faster. Owen barely had time to dodge Ciaran's first attack before he returned for a second. Owen was ready this time. He threw up his forearms in a defensive block. He had seen Ciaran fight many times and knew what to expect from him. Though, this was still different. Ciaran had a blade this time. Owen had never seen his brother use a knife before, but even so, he watched him closely. As Ciaran came in for a slash, Owen rolled his hand under Ciaran's wrist, drove his arm over and back, and pulled him backward and down. Owen had the knife before Ciaran slammed into the floor.

"Stop this!" Owen pleaded, " Just come back with us, help us instead. Why are you trying so hard to stop the prophecy? Do you really hate this world so much? What’s happened to you?"

At first, it looked like Ciaran had given in, so Owen released him. They both lay there for what seemed like an eternity before Owen stood and came towards Alexander.

"Behind you!" Alexander shouted the warning with just enough time for Owen to spin around. His blade met Ciaran's chest. Owen faltered and stumbled backward, falling and staring in horror. He hadn't meant it. He hadn't meant for the blade to pierce his brother's skin. Owen had just been trying to defend himself.

Ciaran fell backward. Landing with a hard thud against the cave floor. The sound of his head cracking against the cold stone echoed throughout the cave.

"This was futile... I am not the only one attempting to prevent the prophecy. He will soon die… you'll see… soon enough…" With those final words, Ciaran's eyes glossed over, and his breath left him.