The driver stepped on the gas, and the car pulled away.
By the time we reached the train station, the sky had grown dark. Maybe the Moon Goddess sensed my mood and hid herself tonight. Apart from the glow of streetlights, the waiting hall was almost pitch-black.
One warrior stayed with me while the other went to buy tickets.
I sat on a bench and stared blankly at the empty train tracks. Then a familiar voice shouted my name from behind. "Serenity! Wait!"
Frank?
I thought I'd misheard. But when I turned around, there he was, running toward me and gasping for breath. The moment I saw his face, I remembered him pointing at me and screaming "monster." I instinctively stepped back and put distance between us.
"What are you doing here? How did you find this station?" I demanded in disbelief.
"I... I asked around..." Frank panted heavily, sweat covering his forehead. "Someone saw you get into a car and remembered the license plate, so I followed…"
"What do you want now?" I asked wearily. "I thought we had nothing left to say to each other."
"No, I was wrong, Serenity!" Frank suddenly grew agitated. He rushed forward, and the warrior guarding me immediately stepped between us. But Frank dropped to his knees with a thud. His voice drew stares from passing travelers. "Please forgive me!I know I'm a jerk, a coward! When I saw all that… I was terrified. I said things I shouldn't have said. I hurt you… but, Serenity, I've thought it through. I realized I still love you!"
"What are you doing? Get up—" I was mortified. I moved to pull him up, but he stubbornly refused to budge.
"I won't get up until you forgive me!"
Frank grabbed my hand. His grip was so tight it hurt. The warrior tried to help me, but I raised my hand to stop him.
Frank pleaded, "Serenity, please give me another chance! Stay for me! You don't have to run. I can hide you. I'm human. I can cover for you! We can lie low in some remote countryside, then come back to Tara when the danger passes?—"
"That's too dangerous. You have no idea what I'm up against." I tried to pull my hand back but couldn't. Frank kept begging. "What about you, Serenity? Do you really want to leave everything behind? Leave Tara, leave that café, wander alone forever?"
I had to admit, his words struck the softest part of my heart.
Of course, I didn't want to leave! I didn't want to lose that café. More importantly, I didn't want to lose Arian. I didn't want to leave the place where I could watch him grow up!
But could I really stay?
I looked at Frank's sweat-covered face, torn with indecision, and asked him softly, "Aren't you scared? Being with me means you'll be in danger too."
"As long as I'm with you, I'm not afraid of anything!" he answered firmly.
Just then, the station announcement came on. A train was pulling in. The warrior who'd gone to buy tickets returned and reminded me, "Luna, it's time to go."
But I stood frozen in place and faced a decision that tore me apart.
"I'm not getting on that train."
The warriors looked at me uneasily. "What do you mean? Luna, are you sure about this?"
"I'm sure." I looked at Frank. When he heard my words, his face broke into a wild smile. This time, I managed to pull him up from the ground. He immediately wrapped me in a tight embrace under the warriors' hostile glares, saying "thank you" over and over.
But I smiled bitterly where he couldn't see, feeling a twinge of guilt. Because I knew I wasn't staying for him. I was staying for my child and the memories I couldn't let go of.
The warriors couldn't stop me. They had no authority to. Frank took my hand without hesitation and led me away, regardless of whether those two warriors followed.
True to his promise, he found us a temporary shelter in a remote area near Tara. We lived here while keeping an eye on things in town, ready to return at any moment.
For the first few days, I stayed on high alert, prepared to flee the moment I spotted any sign of hunters.
But as the days passed—nearly a month now—everything in Tara remained calm. The hunters never appeared.
