Odette twisted another flower stem in her fingers, snapping it in half with a sharp tug. She stood, adding it to the collection of yellow daisies, purple belladonna, and red roses in her already-full basket.

“Odette!”

The wind was ruffling her hair and the sun was on her back, and she didn’t want to leave this field of flowers. She wanted to stay here, and walk among the beautiful poppies, and—

Something was shaking her shoulder. She opened her eyes, staring up at a familiar face. The sunshine and the wind and the fields were gone, replaced by a four wooden walls that were much too thin to block out the screaming wind outside. –Even now, she could feel a chill in the air. Her heart was pounding against her chest, and she could already feel a headache coming on. 

“Odette! You’re up.”

Enzo smiled at her, albeit a little hesitantly, his glassy green eyes looking even more dazzling in the moonlight spilling in from the window. He had that look about him. Like a puppy that’s been kicked too many times, but still comes running back without anywhere else to go.

“Finally.” The voice sounded annoyed.

Odette rolled her head backward, looking past the tables scrammed with books and pens and diagrams, spotting a figure in the corner.

“Victor? What are you doing here?” Her eyes narrowed. It wasn’t often that she got a visit from a fellow Illuminati, especially not Mr. Victor Rosewood himself. Besides, what was Victor doing without his retinue? Didn’t he always travel with a group of servants doting on his every move?

Vic rolled his eyes, finally walking out of the shadows. Even in the dark, she could tell he was pissed at her, from the way his gaze looked smug and superior as ever. “Just be grateful I’m here to get you out of trouble from the council.”

“What? What trouble?” Odette sat up. Her heart was still ramming against her chest, and her palms were clammy from sweat. She was always like this after having dreams.

Victor snorted. The sound made her stomach churn with nostalgia, but she swallowed back the feeling. “Don’t act stupid, Odette. Come on; I have a hideout, but we need to hurry up—”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Odette snapped.

Enzo was glancing between the two of them, obviously at a loss of what to do. He kept opening his mouth, then shutting it, like a broken nutcracker.

“This isn’t the time for jokes,” Victor shot back.

Odette’s eye twitched. If this was a stupid joke he was playing on her, she didn’t find it very amusing. “Do I sound like I’m joking around?”

“Hey, uh,” Enzo stammered out, “Not to interrupt, but we’re kind of running low on time, so—”

“You mean you didn’t murder that village of people in Sterlington?”

Silence settled on the room, thick and heavy as dust.

“What?” The deadpan was met with Enzo’s nervous stuttering.

“I think we should get out of here first.”

Odette stared at Victor. Victor stared back, a little shocked, but nothing apologetic on his face at all. It was just like him to accuse her of mass murder, she supposed. But it did hurt that he thought she would stoop that low to fulfill her quota.

“Right.” She tore her gaze away from Victor. “Meet me outside.”

A minute later, she had tossed on a cloak over her traveling clothes. She contemplated bringing her gun, but decided against it. She didn’t have any spare bullets, and it would only serve to make Enzo nervous.