I can save myself...

"...Be on your guards." Orion said as he touched my shoulders lightly. He then got up to go. "You sure you don't have anything to tell me?"

I reassured him, there are things but I'd like to take some more time and arrange them before presenting him with all that I have collected.

I cleaned everything and went to bed. There was a lot on my mind and I couldn't make myself sleep for a while. I may have dozed off somewhere in between daydreaming and analyzing everything, thinking about my hounds and the snow crystal. There was a knock on the door. At first I thought it was in my head. I could not be bothered to get up in between my sleep, I tried to ignore it to avoid getting up from my bed. But it was persistent and at last I had to get up. When I finally came to my senses I became suspicious, who could it be at this hour on my door. I extracted my daggers from under my bed and hid it behind my back,

"Who is it?" I shouted. No reply. I asked again but there was only constant beating on the door. I slowly unlocked the door preparing to step back the next moment and tightened the grip on the dagger. The door was wide open and there was no one. No one, I slowly walked outside looking around but there was not a soul to be seen. The cold breeze ran a shiver down my spine and I hurried inside and shut myself in. Whatever it is, it could not enter my door- it is protected by one of the most powerful charms and no one other than whom I knowingly permit can enter, so right now it felt like the safest place.

I sat down on the dinning chair and took a deep breath, what is all of this? Am I being tracked or chased? Or is it some sort of trick to scare me away? I was lost in my thoughts when there was again a knock on the door. I was startled, I stood up and this time pointed the dagger right at the door, whoever it is is not going to get out of here uninjured. I reached for the door and unlocked it. It burst open and I attacked, the tip of the tool right at the throat of the person, I looked up and saw a face familiar.

"Orion!" I exclaimed. Few drops of blood reached my palms. I drew back.

"Why are you always on my neck pointing the sharped thing around? Of Course it is me. Who else could it be?"

"Who else....." I might have said the rest too low for him to hear. I was taken aback, was it him the first time too? I wasn't sure and I did not know if I should ask. I decided not to.

"Stop hissing, you paranoid serpent. Tell me, did you really think it could be somebody else?" He asked looking intensely at my face. I was looking at the floor when I replied that I was just being careful. "Hey," he said, "listen. You don't assume it to be someone unless you expect them to appear at your door at this time, right? Nyx, there is something you're not telling me, I could see it in your face. You look more vexed that you ought to. Something's up, tell me." He held my face with both of his palms and came really close. "Please don't hide things that trouble you this way. I cannot risk you even for a thousand kingdoms, you know that, don't you?"

I still could not manage to look him in the eyes but his words melted my front that I had been strengthening all these days. Perhaps, this time I should tell him whatever it was, I thought. I nodded.

He took me to the bed and sat me comfortably, brought a glass of water and pulled a chair for himself right next to me. "Whenever you're ready," he said softly.

"First, tell me, did you find any leads on the incident I told you about that day? The one at the Florist's?" I asked him.

He said that there hasn't been much that he has gathered because there had not been anything that could be a possibility and probably everything that could be a possibility. According to him, it could be espionage from some enemy kingdom who is aware of the quest, or it could be something that protects the secret of snow crystal of this town, or entirely something else like someone of the town had caught on to their acts.

I told him about the incident at the woods before he appeared (I saved the precognitive dream part for later, I needed more leads for that as well), and of the other nights and today. Also informed him about Ivy's suspicious attitude that had put me and Violet into worry for the day. After listening to everything, Orion sat back and sighed.

"All this and I'm only knowing it now? Why would you not tell me? You're practically being tailed and I wasn't even here. Pray something might have happened how could I ever be forgiven? Your father entrusted me your safety, Nyx, should you not take this more seriously?"

"I am perfectly serious, Orion. Don't mock me by telling me things I already know. I had been followed but I wasn't ignorant of it, I am always on my guard but you know as well as I do that waging war mindlessly only decreases one's chance of victory. I restrained but I was not careless. I think I tell you this all the time but I DON'T NEED YOU TO SAVE ME, I CAN SAVE MYSELF." By this moment I could hardly restrain my frustration.