"Maylin?"

My parents, Matia, and I walked out of our garage with a plan in hand. I sent Matia a screenshot of the tracker we traced on Syllia's watch so she could look for warehouses and kissed my mom on the cheek before they headed off into the night. Dad and I worked our way down the street.

"Let's start at these three spots." I pointed to several places on the map that showed Syllia had been there at least twice in the last twenty-four hours. Nothing else seemed to keep her attention for long, and I figured she'd have to sleep somewhere.

We got in the car and drove to the first location. Pulling up, I was surprised to find us in front of the Maple Hotel, the place where everyone got married or had their special parties. It seemed odd that a woman who was on the run would be coming back and forth from such a place.

The bright lights of the elaborate chandeliers in the foyer shone on me as I went in. Immediately, a bellboy greeted me, "Good evening, are you here to book a room?"

"I'm here to find someone."

"Name."

"Syllia Farrel."

"Yes, she's on the twentieth floor, two one zero eight."

Dad's eyes flashed. "That was fast finding."

I agreed and we determined that he'd make his way up to Syllia's floor with me, but stay out of view.

I knocked. Syllia opened the door, and her expression immediately fell. "How did you find me?"

I held up her watch and she snatched it out of my hand. "Can we talk?"

I smiled, then welcomed myself into her room. I sat down in the living room chair. Syllia followed after me and sat down also. I ignored her, looking at me as if I were the devil.

"How was your day today?"

She didn't answer me and looked away.

I knew that if I wanted to make this work, I first had to apologise. "Fine, I came here to say sorry to you."

She looked up, and I had gotten her attention.

"I thought about what happened before, about when you ran away from your parents."

Syllia was furious. She started yelling at me. "You are not allowed to talk about my past. I was bullied, and my parents never believed me. When I knocked on the door, your parents turned me away."

"I'm sorry."

"Your parents left me alone to live on the streets, now, after eight years ,you're sorry?" She banged the living room table. "I don't need your pity."

I thought of my father outside. He could probably hear all of this. "I don't pity you, but I want to make this right. My parents were wrong, they should have helped you."

"Apologies don't fix anything."

"I can help you get your life back, but I need Maylin back."

"Why would I agree to that?"

"Just let me see Maylin, I can help you with anything."

"Anything?' Syllia asked, her expression turned into a smirk.

Just at that moment, Syllia stood up and got something from a closet. My eyes widened as I saw what it was. It was my bird cage, and inside there was a shaggy body laying on the cage floor. Some of the feathers were torn out and the wings looked broken. Its colour was turning grey. I looked at its face.

"Maylin?"

I rushed to her and grabbed the cage from Syllia. "Maylin!" I cried.

Her eyes were closed and she looked way skinnier than the last time I had met her. "Syllia. What did you do to her?"

She just looked at me. The door burst open, and my father came in. I heard sirens from downstairs. The police came up and went to Syllia, while my father rushed over to me. I slumped to the ground, looking at Maylin.

People staying nearby came to look. The police told Syllia to hold her hand out and she did as she was told. They handcuffed her and led her away.

After a while, the adults slowly left, until it was only my father and I. He looked at Maylin, laying there in the cage.

"I'm sorry Leslie. It was never meant to end this way."