Chapter 5

It's been days since what happened at the alley. Everly couldn't help but worried about the boy she encountered at the alleyway when she was cornered by that group of thugs.

When she finished her shift at the coffee shop, she always found herself wandered off towards the alley carefully poking her head around to see if she would by chance bumped into the boy again.

Another part of her was also concerned that the group of thugs might catch her again, but as more days passed, she encountered neither the angelic-looking boy nor the group of thugs.

Just when Everly thought the boy was just another passerby in her life and that she'll never meet him again, things took a surprising turn. 

~ ♧ ~

Once again, Everly took a side track and decided to sneak a peek at the alley when she was on the way home. 

She was taken aback when a little boy crashed into her.

"I'm sorry, I did not see you there." The little boy looked a little flustered as he stumbled up and apologized.

Everly glanced down and saw a meek-looking little boy that was about six or seven years old, staring at her timidly with his bright eyes.

Seeing the little boy fidgeting uneasily in front of her, Everly smiled: "It's okay, just be more careful next time."

Everly was about to leave when the little boy tugged at her skirt strongly but let go in mere seconds. Confused, Everly kneeled and the little boy continued to stare at her with pursed lips, his bright eyes turned glassy, his face turned pale as he trembled.

Slightly shock, Everly was about to ask if he is okay when she noticed his eyes keep darting from Everly to the man that stood beside him. 

Something flickers in Everly's golden orbs. Without batting an eyelash, Everly calmly stood up brushing at her knee-length skirt; she quickly eyed the little boy up and down before moving her gaze towards the man who looked like he was in his mid-thirties.

Her heart skipped a beat with her findings. 

The little boy was adorned by the most luxurious garment, his shoes were made by the finest leather. However, the man's clothing was the complete opposite. From the man's posture and behavior towards the boy, he was definitely not the boy's servant, which makes him awfully suspicious.

She shadowed her eyes with her long lashes and put on a gentle smile, inching her way closer to the little boy. Her attention was still on the man, hence she instantly noticed the defensiveness that flashed through his eyes. His grip tightened around the little boy's arm, making the boy flinched.

He flashed a huge grin at the boy, however, his eyes were glaring at him: "Come on, son. The girl already said it's okay. Let's go, if not your favorite sweet matcha mochi will be sold out."

The little boy quivered but nodded in the end, he looked towards Everly giving her a weak smile and a pleading gaze: "You really are pretty and kind. Bye-bye."

His 'bye bye' sounded so broken, Everly felt a lump in her throat as she clenched her hands. 

Before she could think further, she found herself uttering: "Wait."

The man let out an annoyed growl, combing his shaggy hair with his free hand. He smirked at Everly: "Look, girl. I know you realized what's happening here."

Everly pursed her lips, glaring at the man with balled fists. 

"I don't want any commotion over here and if you know what's best for you, you'll stay out of it. I mean, you don't even know this kid. Is not like he's your little brother or anything."

The scrawny man placed a hand on Everly's shoulder and Everly instantly felt a frightening darkness running through her veins, her eyes went wide as her golden orbs stare right into the man's black eyes that were glinting with sparks of red. 

Everly's face turned as pale as a ghost as she found herself frozen in place, the lump in her throat seemed to grow as her fists loosen. She saw the man scoffed at her and the little boy's expression was exactly a duplicate of her own, he lowered his head after he saw Everly's expression. 

The man impatiently pulled at the little boy, urging him to move as he, himself took big steps forward; walking past Everly. 

Everly stiffly turned to look over her shoulder like a rusty robot, her gaze locked with the little boy's.

As their distance grew further, the boy's eyes turned dull just like a withering hope. Then, he strained a smile at Everly before he turned back and continue to walk away with the man as if he had given up.

Everly felt her heartache as memories from when she was little flood towards her like a tornado. 

A little girl was crying, she pleaded and beg but nobody was willing to help her. Just like the boy, the light in her eyes was gone. The little girl lowered her head, then looked up and flashed a strained smile with her watery eyes.

The scene from her memory and what was happening in front of her seemed to overlay. 

Something sparks within her, the sun hanging high up in the sky shone brightly as rays of sunshine rained down on Everly.

As if strength bestowed upon her, she started to move towards the two figures that were walking in front of her. 

One step.

Two-step.

Everly was moving faster at each step. In only mere seconds, she was running towards them as they were about to get on a flying carpet.

At this point the fear caused by the man was gone, fire burning within her. She gritted her teeth, she refused to let the man took the little boy away, not when it was happening right in front of her, not when she hasn't even tried to fight for the little boy!

Her gaze sealed firmly at the man as she lifted her arm, palm opening wide aiming at the man as sparkles of lights glittering around her fingers. A frail-looking but sturdy string shot out and tied around the little boy's waist. Everly retracted her fingers and instantly pulled the boy towards her.

"You're dead, girl!" The man cursed as he countered it with a dark blade slicing through the string.

He jumped towards the little boy, Everly did the same. 

The man glared daggers at Everly, attacking her with a blast mid-air. Everly cast a shield, blocking the blast; but missed the chance to grab the little boy. 

The man grabbed the little boy, summoned his flying carpet, and let out a mocking sneer: "Sucker!" 

Everly bit her lip, casting a round magic circle underneath her and quickly chase after the man. 

The magic circle that Everly summoned was a flight circle, it acted just like the man's flying carpet.

The man did not expect Everly to be so persistent, he muttered something and a wave of dark beam was shooting towards Everly like a machine gun. Everly narrowed her eyes, dodging the attack. Everly has light element magic with the sun shining so brightly in the sky, it was definitely to her advantage even though she cannot use her magic in full.

With a wave of her hand,  a magic circle appeared beside Everly and with a mental command, it started to shoot light beams at the man, countering all of the other party's dark beam. The man clicked his tongue, obviously unhappy with the outcome. Everly was gaining on them when the man suddenly sped up, trying to escape from Everly's tailing. 

Everly gritted her teeth, she shadowed her eyes with her palm, casting a glance at the sun. She sucked in a deep breath, her eyes locked on the man in front of her, she balanced herself while slowly standing up.

I'm not going to let you get away!