Boredom and anxiety are two emotions Myra never thought she could feel at once. But there she was, bored out of her mind in Dacien’s empty house while biting through the last specks of white on her nails.

When her fears settled in brief moments, Myra would look around the house. Low level nosiness, she was hopeful to find something new about Dacien. But there was not a picture, not a personal book, no flowers sent from an overbearing mother, no extra colour or patterned fabrics adorning any room. So she sat back in the plain living room.

At least he was gracious enough to leave Myra with the several decks of cards he apparently collected – not displayed – boasting all kinds of artworks and themes. They were the only personal items that could tell a story about Dacien, and Myra couldn't understand it. Nor did she know how to play with cards.

Luckily, her boredom came to a swift end when the front door opened up. A brief shot of adrenaline told Myra to hide, but she soon ignored it when Dacien called out.

“Myra, I’m back. I brought company!” He sounded cheerful. His tone certainly helped Myra calm down, allowing only curiosity to take hold.

She stayed where she was, perched again on one of Dacien’s wooden chairs. There was only a small disturbance before Dacien came in from the hallway, followed neatly by Magnolia.

Myra shot up with widened eyes, and a feeling of warmth touched her chest. 

“Oh, dear, you’re okay!” Magna spoke with her calming, melodic voice and wrapped Myra up in a tight hug. She soon took a careful seat next to Myra. Myra felt the sudden surge of guilt drip through her bones; it kept her still. “I was watching your house from my window all night, and you never came home. I was so worried.”

The guilt almost made Myra choke.

“I went into your shop, I hope you don’t mind. I thought you might want some of your things. If I hadn’t run into your friend here, then my next stop would have been the jailhouse. I’m so happy to know you aren’t there.”

Magnolia opened the clasp of a rectangular bag. She pulled only few things out to give Myra an idea of what she had packed. Some of Myra’s work clothes she kept in the storage room, neatly folded, a few bags of loose tea leaves that sprang a subtle smile onto Myra’s lips, and a coin pouch. 

Myra felt something akin to dread sink into her – there is no way the bugalars left money in her drawers, regardless of their original intent. But Myra knew she wouldn’t be able to ask where the coins came from.

“I’m sorry,” Myra blurted out. She couldn’t bring herself to look Magna in the eyes. “I– I just. I felt so angry. Everything they did that night– hell, everything anyone has ever done to me, it all came back. My anger blinded me, and I couldn’t stop myself…I didn’t want to stop…”

Myra felt no pity for herself, saw no valid reason anyone could be a victim after almost murdering several defenceless people. So she made the brims of her eyes into dams, clamped her trembling jaw closed and tried her darndest to save some dignity. 

Magnolia was wholly opposite. She placed a warm hand over Myra’s, let her warm eyes communicate a love without condition, regardless of whether Myra would even look up to meet them.

Dacien regretted joining the room with them. With no third chair, he was forced to stand. With a relationship far less developed than that of the women, he saw no gaps to fill. He kept his lips pursed and his fingers interlocked, thumbs tapping a tune he’d often hum to in the pub.

“There is something else I need to tell you,” Magnolia bridged the gap in conversation with a quiet voice. “I believe I know a place,” she took a breath to rethink her statement, but just one more look at Myra’s broken expression was enough to settle her. “Where you can be set free.”

Myra turned her head. Her eyes finally saw the love Magna was silently sharing, and her words sparked a feeling of hope. “Free? What do you mean?”

Thud, Thud, Thud, Thud.

The knock at the door captured everyone’s attention. 

“Dacien Gasper? Open up, we know you’re home.” A booming voice called from beyond the wooden door in the hallway.

Dacien’s chest rose, but words did not come out. He looked frantically at Myra and Magnolia for any semblance of a plan, but they stared back with the same shocked eyes.

“Maybe they don’t know you two are here?” He barely managed to whisper.

A shuffle and crunch from outside slapped their attention to the lonely window of the front room. While the curtains were closed, a small sliver remained open. A man stood on the other side of the glass. His face had clearly been trained into stoicism as he stared at no one, yet everyone at once.

“Oh, fuck,” Dacien breathed out. He wracked his brain for something, anything at all: a plan of escape, a plan to fight, any plan! But he came up empty. With a sigh of pure exasperation, he turned curtly on his heel to open the front door.

“What are you doing?!” Myra bolted to her feet. Magna gently grabbed her arm.

“I don’t know, what else can I do?! I'll…I'll try talking to them!” Dacien yelled from the hallway. He took a shaky breath as he opened the damn door. Dacien couldn't get a word out – couldn't even open his mouth before the guard placed a booted foot on the threshold.

“Dacien Gasper, Myra Kala, you are both under arrest with the royal guard.” The man facing Dacien stated coolly. While he was clad in a button-down shirt and standard trousers, he held a letter stamped by the king in the right-hand corner. 

Dacien swallowed hard and glanced through into the front room, where he caught Myra’s equally scared expression. 

“For the events taking place the night before today. And for harbouring a wanted criminal.” The man’s cold stare ran through Dacien’s entire body with a shiver. “You have the right to remain silent, and I so hope that you do, while we escort you to the central court.”

The guard bound Dacien’s hands in front of himself and led him to the pathway outside. Dacien stood under the watchful eye of the man who had been staring into the window. He, himself, watched through that crack in the curtain at the events happening just beyond.

“Harbouring a criminal?!” He could hear Myra shouting out, “We never even knew! He never knew! How can you arrest an innocent man?!”

“Miss Kala, stand down, or I will use force.” The unwavering guard stated like it was any old Tuesday.

Myra knew she couldn’t blow up again. She had no choice but to give in.

“Sir, please,” Magna cut in, her smooth voice shaking, “What does the central court have to do with this?”

The man didn’t pause while he bound Myra’s hands behind her back, tight. “This woman has been witnessed using magic, a royal court affair. Do you have an issue with that?”

Magnolia pulled her chin up, clutching her shawl. “Yes. I do. Using magic isn't a crime, it's not written into the laws at all!”

The guard glared at her and, with no big movements, produced a third tie from his belt. 

“No, please! She isn’t involved with anything!” Myra pleaded as Magnolia took a shaking step backwards.

It wasn’t long before the three of them were sitting silently in the cage of a carriage. Myra tried to keep a straight face despite the linen rope rubbing her skin raw with every bump and tumble. Ignoring his emotionless demeanour, Myra could feel the guard's apparent hatred for her.

She hoped, at the very least, that her friends weren’t feeling the same pain. She knew this would be a long journey.