Olivia Sparks

Queen Isla's lips parted in an 'O', but her hand quickly flew to cover it. Her eyes were wide in shock as she looked at Shadow. 

Olivia followed her mother's gaze and saw Shadow for herself. "Shado—" Olivia wasn't able to finish Shadow's name.

Blood pooled inside Shadow's mouth that when she opened it, thick crimson streamed down on each corner.

"No, no, no!" Olivia hysterically cried. She rushed closer to Shadow's side, catching her in a hug.

Scanning Shadow's body, Olivia located the gunshot wound and found it on the right side of her back. 

"Just hang in there, okay?" Olivia begged. She pressed her hand on Shadow's open wound to keep more blood from gushing out.

She had a feeling Shadow's lung was punctured during their escape, and the adrenaline masked the pain that she didn't notice she was shot.

"Go," Shadow managed to speak before slumping on the floor when she couldn't pull her own weight.

"Shadow, please. Not you," Olivia croaked. A decade of memories with Shadow flashed in Olivia's eyes before it was carried away by the wind.

"Go. Door. Close. Door," Shadow spoke through a labored breath.

Olivia understood what Shadow was saying. The wounded soldier wanted Olivia to leave her behind so she could guard the secret passage, but there was no way she would do that.

When Olivia wouldn't budge, Shadow snatched the knife in her boss's pocket and pierced the tip on the hollow of Olivia's neck.

A smirk crossed Shadow's face as she spoke, "Die. Together."

Olivia closed her eyes. Her shoulders shook uncontrollably as she cried silent tears for the decade of companionship she had with Shadow.

Peeling Olivia off of Shadow, two gentle hands cupped Olivia's shoulders. "Let's go, darling," Queen Isla coaxed. She was calm and collected, even in the midst of raining gunfire.

Olivia knew the reality that they could not stay longer and they couldn't drag Shadow with them because it would slow them down from reaching their sanctuary.

Left with no choice but to leave the injured Shadow behind, Olivia ripped the bottom half and the right arm sleeve of her silken blouse.

She used the ripped cloth to patch it on the wound behind Shadow's back. She then used the sleeve as a tourniquet to hold the patch of clothing in place.

"K...k…key," Shadow tried to raise her finger, pointing at the key. 

"Got it," Olivia said, taking the key off the hole.

She understood right away that Shadow wanted them to bring the key along so nobody could follow them behind, just in case the library would also be breached.

She hid the key in her pants pocket and glanced one more look at Shadow. Determination flooded Olivia's face as she promised, "Help will be here soon, Tilly."

A faint smile crossed Shadow's face. It had been a decade since she heard that name.

Olivia told her she could keep it if she wanted to, but Shadow insisted on changing Tilly to Shadow.

Given the chance for a new life, she thought the name Shadow had a nice ring to it and she embraced her new name like a new skin.

Little did she know that when death came knocking on her door, she would be reminded that she was once a girl named Tilly, a name her parents, whom she never met at all, inscribed on her clothes when they left her in an orphanage.

Ahhh… the circle of life, Shadow thought. 

She forced her eyelids to open, making sure that the secret passage was closed. Her head bobbed left and right as she hung on to her consciousness.

…

Checking her phone, Olivia timed how long they sn.a.k.e.d through the tunnel's maze, and according to her calculation, it was a twenty-minute walk, yet it felt as if they were walking for eternity with how dark and damp the walls were.

As they reached the end of the tunnel, the faint glow of the moon filtered through the half-moon-shaped opening of the exit of the cave. However, the three halted their steps, upon seeing thick steel bars blocked the opening, imprisoning them inside.

The soldier removed his uniform coat, leaving him wearing his grey undershirt underneath. He then placed it on the earthen floor and offered, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, please take a break. Help will come soon."

"Thank you," Queen Isla uttered. She received the soldier's waiting hand and used it to help her sit down on the ground. "What's your name?" she asked. She prayed that everything would go well tonight, and hoped to repay the good soldier for his service.

"MIB8, Your Majesty," was his curt reply. Queen Isla didn't probe on. She was actually asking for his real name, but up to the last minute, the young lad still gave her his alias.

Peeling her gaze away from MIB8, Queen Isla observed Olivia from afar. Her daughter-in-law was standing by the steel bars and looked far away from the horizon. 

After she witnessed how Olivia reacted to the idea of leaving her personal guard behind earlier, the queen felt that Olivia needed space to grieve for a special person in her life.

Queen Isla's body ached from exhaustion, yet no matter how many times she tried to close her eyes so she could catch some sleep, her mind would never stop talking. 

First, she thought about her infant granddaughter and her daughter Princess Maya. Where were they when the attacks happened? Were they safe and sound just like her and Olivia?

Oh, and Maxen too. She almost forgot to worry about Maxen, although she knew her son wasn't easy to kill amongst the rest of the Suis, so she was back to not worrying about him again. 

Pushing her thoughts away, she called Olivia's attention and said, "How about we offer a prayer while we wait?"