Chapter 55 #2
When he does, I hobble around Maverick over to Rowan. There, etched into the door, is a painfully familiar crest. Written into the shield of it are the words:
Dominium. Prosperitas. Vitalitis.
“I know where we are!” I gasp, then grin. When I look back at my guys, it grows bigger. “I can get us out of here. The exit’s not too much further.”
“Can you remember which tunnels you took?” Rowan asks.
I nod. “Yes.”
“How’s that?” Braum demands. “It was dark, even with a flashlight you would have been stumbling around and?—”
“Just trust me, okay?” I insist.
The last time I was in the Labyrinth, I had the cold, cruel Maverick chasing after me. The path I took to get to the exit is seared into my brain thanks to a bit of trauma.
“I trust you with my life,” Maverick states, his voice and gaze unwavering. “I’ll follow you to the end of time. Lead the way, Evie.”
***
The trek through the Labyrinth is harder without a flashlight.
It also doesn’t help that the water is chest high.
Knowing our time is limited but having to move at a snail's pace so we don’t miss a turn is agonizing.
Thankfully, I don’t have to walk and worry about my battered feet stepping on anything sharp.
I cling to Maverick’s back, with my arms wrapped around his neck and my legs around his waist. He leads the way while the others stay close behind.
I try not to think of what’s in the water with us or how nauseating the stench is.
It doesn’t help to dwell on those things.
Besides, I should be more worried about being followed.
There’s no reason for the members of the Children of the White Stag to know we’re down here.
The nurse that led us down here likely knew these tunnels wouldn’t be checked.
Still, I don’t relax until the ladder to our exit appears.
By the time it comes into view, with sunlight pouring through the metal grate up above, the water is up to our chins.
“Everly, go to Braum while I push aside the grate,” Maverick orders.
Not sure how far away he is from me, I call out softly, “Braum?”
Hands grab my hips, confident and sure. His hot breath hits the shell of my ear as he whispers, “I’m here, Everly.”
Relaxing, I unwind my limbs from Mavie’s body and let him go.
Braum pulls me into his solid body and I feel just as secure here as I did on Maverick’s back.
His lips press a kiss to my temple before adjusting me so that I can latch onto his back, safe and sound.
Rowan’s hand comes to rest between my shoulder blades.
It’s an unexpected gesture that I lean back into to let him know I appreciate it.
When Maverick makes it to the top of the ladder and removes the barrier between us and the rest of the world, we follow him up. When he takes my hands and lifts me completely out of the drain, I find us surrounded by trees.
Greedily, I gobble up the fresh air, sucking in lungs full. I can’t believe I remembered how to get us out of there. I was pretty confident, but it was such slow going for a while I found myself second guessing every turn we took.
Overhead, the sun is shining. The warmth of it trickles between the thick leaves of the trees around us and peppers my skin with much needed heat.
I shiver, wet from the gross water. My skin still burns from being scrubbed with whatever chemical they used to clean me, but most of my pain is in my feet.
I make a mental note to clean out my wounds and Rowan’s the minute we get back to the car.
We don’t need to get an infection once we’re free.
“How long do you think we were down there?” Rowan asks, peering up at the sky.
Maverick shrugs. “Too damn long.”
“Alright, this is it,” Braum says, coming up beside me. “We have to make use of whatever exit plan you had in place originally, Everly. It’s now or never.”
“We can’t leave, not yet. We need to go get the backpack from Sortage,” Maverick objects.
Braum shakes his head, confused. “What? No, we don’t need?—”
“It has the map and all the gear we’ll need to make the trek to the car Everly has stashed away. It’s essential ,” Maverick snaps. There’s panic in his gaze as it swings around to face me. “It has the lives you created for us in there. Our future is in that bag, Evie. We have to go get it.”
Reaching out, I grab his hand. Immediately, his fingers weave through mine and he pulls me into his side.
“It’s okay, Mavie. We can build other lives,” I promise. “Right now, we just need to worry about getting over the wall.”
“And then what?” Rowan asks, his voice strained as he takes both hands and grabs his hair. “What the fuck are we going to do once we get out of here? Run? For how long? And to where?”
Braum stares at Rowan, frowning. “What other choice do we have? Do you want to stay?”
“Fuck no! They’ve ruined everything !” Rowan yells as he becomes more agitated. “All I want to know is what next? What kind of life is being on the run?”
“A better life than the one we’d have here if we get caught,” Braum replies.
“I have resources, Rowan. Some that aren’t connected to the family name at all, which means they aren’t connected to the Children of the White Stag.
We might not have the life we’re used to, like before we came here, but…
” His voice trails off as he shrugs and looks at me.
“It might be even better than that life too.”
I know right now isn’t the time for it, but my heart swoons and blood rushes to my cheeks.
Braum sees a future with me. Has risked everything, even killed his father, to escape with me.
We might’ve started out on the wrong foot, but Braum has proven the lengths he’ll go for me.
For us . This larger than life man wants to be a part of my life.
That knowledge is humbling and inspiring.
I smile at Braum and he smiles back.
With a tug on Maverick’s hand, I attempt to get us moving. “Rowan, you’re coming with us. We’ll figure things out together, okay?”
Rowan nods slowly, but I don’t miss the way he shoots Maverick a look. Whatever emotion is behind it is lost beneath his swollen features.
“ Together ,” I emphasize, making sure we’re all on the same page. I give each guy a pointed look. “This won’t work if we can’t get along. Whatever animosity you three had, it stays here. Got it?”
No one says anything but I receive three begrudging nods. Well, if this is the best I’m going to get, I’m not going to push it. In any case, we’re out of time. Not far off comes the sound of a dog barking.
We all tense. It’s followed by excited shouting.
“Shit!” Braum’s head whips around, searching for signs of trouble. “They brought out the dogs. They'll find us?—”
“No they won’t!” I object. “Now, which way is Rookwell Tower?”
The three guys exchange looks with one another as to mentally confer, then nearly in unison, point to the right.
“This way,” Maverick says. “But why?—”
“You’ll see!” I hobble in that direction, attempting to drag Maverick with me. “Come on!”
Maverick bends down to scoop me off my feet. He throws me over his shoulder in a move that knocks the breath from my lungs, then he takes off into the woods. I slap a hand over my mouth to keep my squeal of surprise muted. Rowan and Braum flank his sides, keeping close.
I can hear voices all around us. Staff calling out to one another, dogs continue to bark, and in the distance I can hear alarms going off.
“What’s that noise?” I ask just loud enough for the guys to hear.
“Serenity Falls is going into lockdown,” Braum explains. “All buildings are being locked up, and security will flood the campus searching for anyone who’s still out.”
I don’t ask if it’s because of us. It would be a stupid question. Of course, Serenity Falls is going under lockdown because of us. I grip the back of Maverick’s wet shirt with shaking hands, terror fueling the rapid beating of my heart.
It’s not long before I hear the rushing water.
The thundering of the waterfall is music to my ears.
It means freedom is just within reach. We break through the trees after another few minutes.
The sound of the water is louder here, almost deafening.
The guys are breathless but press on as we approach Rookwell Tower.
“Head to the back where there’s a line of trees almost up against the wall,” I call out.
The three of them shift direction. We round the building, keeping a safe distance from it. When we get to the back of it and we’re protected once more by the shade of the trees, a little tension eases out of me.
“Okay, Maverick, put me down.” I tap his back. “I need to see.”
Maverick slows but hesitates placing me on my feet. “Why here?”
“You’ll see.”
When he puts me down on my injured feet, I cover my wince by looking around.
My eyes scan the area. The wall is right there, made of thick cement.
It’s massive in height and stretches around the perimeter of Serenity Falls’ property.
I remember the first time I saw it. I’d been both anxious to get over it and terrified at how impenetrable it appeared.
I head for the tree that sits nearly against the giant wall, furthest in the line of trees.
The massive leaves and thick branches were what had caught my attention the first time I’d seen it.
When I get to the tree, I walk around it so that it blocks the view of Rookwell Tower.
When I look up, about six feet off the ground is the wooden board I’d strategically hammered into it.
The guys see it the same time I do.
“Wait, is that… a step?” Rowan asks incredulously.
I nod. “There’s another about two feet above it, and another two feet above that and so on.”
“How did you—” Braum starts but abruptly stops. When I look over at him, he gives a rueful smile. “You’ve been planning this for quite some time, clearly.”
“You have no idea,” I tell him grimly.
Maverick’s hand lands on my shoulder and gives it a tight squeeze.