he bait door, muffled whispers

ious voice that I recog

t misse

y know s

e, more hoarse

breath. They

e air seems thicker, as if the piece itself tried

a matter of time, Maxime ans

, t

his voice, a gravity that does not stick to the

t act be

retches, o

noise o

he wall. My heart beats too fast, too

th

ersation

sure she s

ree

nt than you think, ta

free la

actly how m

wal

sure it is

ood i

ted cha

s not an

e is sha

s the truth, she

an

growls, visi

veresti

you under

noisy. I have t

ing of

one is

crus

and lessons befo

tsteps

mil

turning suddenly at the corner. A door. I open it in

ness eng

ber my

op just behi

Op

o

le lower

is shaking,

dness, I flatten myself agains

oor o

w is em

art s

axime

what you just got

't an

otionless, scrutinizing me as if he evaluated the situation, weighing the least of my movements. The air seem

, he orders in a low voice

es are tense, ready to f

second, his hand closes on my wrist. The contact is

nswers? You will have them. B

could have crushed me with a simple pressure, and yet he holds b

them"? Who I really am? he ask

I want to know. But I'm not su

ds to a huge living room with dark wood walls. A fire crack

ette awa

ight. His face is partially hidden by the darkness, but I immediately perce

my instincts howls me

d advances towards him, his body st

Maxime, his voice mo

ches an enig

er been the

l trave

ered, more for myself

ides on me, scrutinizing w

Emilie, he

se my

t me? I ask Maxime, a b

without diverting the eyes from h

lot, retorts the man

silence

f their relationship. Allies? Rivals? There is a

Finally asks Maxime,

time, I perceive a glow in his gaze

ou that time

le, but his jaw con

ge the s

sneers

why is this wo

mach t

my protection, Maxime

? Let me laugh. Since when do

ber my

slightly his head,

ldn't be h

ed, my voice firmer tha

mile stretc

are not part

hover, heavy with me

ot

l trave

r answers. He just set man,

either, whispers Maxime,

ther

ut you know as well as me that

to me, more ins

me to choose your camp ... make

led t

war

not

is about around me. And I'm not sure I'm the

orridor. This time, no error. No precipitation. I studied the premises, memorized t

ulated. I walk along the wall to the rear door, the one I spotted e

d hold out my hand

der my

n it

oticeable. A thri

my ear s

th

owly and pu

ng else ... a smell, a forest scent that I cannot describe. My

ing the irrepress

t

ch shadow could hide a danger. I must be careful. I spot the edge

more

n I

heart drumm, but I don't slow down. F

mil

lit at night

top

mposs

or the origin of the soun

shadow arises betwe

xi

t, impassive, as if

u leaving? He asks, his low voice, vibra

back

t me

looks at me, his piercing look looki

ou that I remember... They're them

ood i

Th

es a bitt

s not t

ch my

ver be the t

es no

lf to the side, ready to run agai

t, he is in

are soaring me and I struggle, hitt

, he w

uted, still

mil

onger an order. It i

a p

st

athing

se my

re no long

e man who holds me. He's som

ng this? I ask, m

His hands tense slightly on

u leave ... the

shiv

Wh

his eyes f

he wh

Mi

eath

Yo

is anchor

hat you thi

't br

deep dow

ays k