CHAPTER 37
“I’m going to freshen up in the bathroom.” I gestured to my soot-covered clothes, “If they come to summon me, tell them I need a moment.”
Ulric nodded again, but didn’t break his stare at Maya, watching her peacefully sleep.
He ran his hand along her hair and down her cheek.
She would be safe with him; he would watch over her.
She would only be in danger if she came with me, and after those injuries, she needed time to rest. I had to leave quickly, or they would come and get me as soon as they realized she was conscious.
I glanced at the wardrobe beside the bathroom door, where my blades were calling for me to grab them.
They were nestled in their harness, snug and ready to go.
I walked by, reached down quickly, then made my way into the bathroom, locking the door behind me.
I turned the water on, but didn’t put the stopper in the drain.
I had to make as much noise as possible to cover any sound that I was about to make.
Strapping the blades securely to my back, I walked towards the window and unhooked the small golden latch that held the windows together, carefully placing it down so it wouldn’t rustle.
I gently tugged on the window handles, and they let out a small creak as they pulled apart, then opened smoothly inwards.
I scanned the gardens from the window, and the chill in the air promised rain soon.
Right as the thought ran through my head, thunder cracked above, and rain began to pour down.
Perfect. The guards on patrol would be looking for cover, and the rain and thunder could mask the sound of my footsteps on the leaves strewn about.
There was a trail of vines starting about five feet below my window, and I didn’t have time to think before I found myself climbing out of it, lowering myself onto the ledge.
Hanging there, I sank as low as my grip would allow; the stone windowsill was biting into my palms and fingers as I held on with everything I had.
I took one big deep breath in and released my hands, dropping my body at the same time as my heart dropped from my chest. My hands scrambled in front of me, reaching for the vines to catch my plummeting body.
My right palm slammed against the stone bricks and burned with pain as it scraped a layer of skin off.
I stifled a groan as my other hand found a vine and grasped it.
My weight caused the vine to peel away from the wall, sending small slivers of stone tumbling down.
Shit! I reached my other hand up and grabbed onto another vine, slowing my fall, eventually coming to a stop.
I let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding and took a quick second to compose myself.
No one was rushing towards me or the commotion; the rain and thunder were a blessing right now, and I thanked the gods.
I slowly lowered myself step by step down the trail of vines, but the rain was coating them, and they were hard to grasp.
My injured hand was leaving a trail of blood behind, which was washed away by the cascading droplets.
I slipped a couple of feet from the ground and fell flat onto my back, knocking the wind out of me.
I took a moment to regain composure before standing up.
I was completely soaked, but I had to decide where to run, realizing my plan of escaping was not very well thought through.
A patrol of guards made my decision for me, as they made their way towards the front of the manor, and my only choice was the forest. A memory of lanterns once used to decorate for the black moon party poked through, but I dashed it away.
Staying close to the manor, making sure to duck under windows and doors as I snuck by, I finally hit the manor's edge.
I glanced around the corner, and fear gripped me.
Another patrol of guards was taking cover near the front of the manor under the roof overhang, and, looking back, I could see another patrol starting to emerge from the other side of the manor. It was now or never.
Once you start running, do not stop.
I nodded as if the voice could see my response, took one last deep breath, and sprinted as fast as I could into the cover of the forest.
“STOP! GIRL!” A guard yelled from behind me.
Shit! I willed my feet to run faster as I jumped over fallen branches and roots protruding from the ground. The clang of metal came from behind me as they drew their swords, followed by their pounding footsteps.
Run. Faster. Run! I repeated, over and over again.
The fear of what the Queen would do to me, to Maya, knowing that I had attempted to run away if I got caught, sent a rush of adrenaline through me, pushing my feet to run faster.
The forest grew denser as I ran deeper into it; the interwoven trees and branches formed a canopy that shielded me from the rain.
I risked a glance back, and at least a dozen guards were chasing after me.
Fuck. I looked ahead again, but was a moment too late and tripped over a root that sent me tumbling down a small hill.
I somersaulted and rolled into branches, roots, and rocks, finally coming to a stop in a stream of flowing water.
“Stay there, girl!” A guard yelled from the top, and they cautiously descended the hill.
Get up!
I groaned, but there was no time for a smart-ass reply; I did as the voice said and pushed myself up off the ground, my ankle protested at every step.
I splashed through the frigid water, hoping to lose them and that they wouldn’t be able to follow my footprints, but my ankle was slowing me down, and they were catching up. Fuck!
I didn’t give up, I couldn’t, and continued pushing forward, hoping to escape this mess, but they were gaining on me quickly.
The stream had widened, and I hardly noticed the water getting deeper except for the shock of how cold it was.
The trees were becoming sparser, and the water poured into a giant lake that surrounded the base of the mountains towering over me.
The northern mountains. The mountains where the Soulless come from.
The water became darker the closer it got to the base of the mountains, so I came to a stop and turned to find the guards standing at the shore of the water.
“Girl! Do not go any further. The waters are littered with Myravine. You’ll have a better chance at living if you come with us.” A guard said while taking a step into the shallow part of the water.
Myravine. I remembered them from my lesson with the Professor and the danger he warned me of.
What do I do? My heart was pounding out of my chest while I tried to catch my breath; my ankle was numb now, and I didn’t know if it was from tripping over the root or the chill of the water, which was now up to my knees as I slowly stepped back.
The guards pressed forward. “Come with us, girl. Don’t move.”
I took another step back. Contemplating my choices, going with the guards and everyone I loved would get hurt, or take my chances in the lake, but before I could think, a whinny filled the air.
I looked up into the pouring rain of the sky, and a figure shadowed the land under it.
Ares landed in front of me, sending water flying as he came to a running stop.
He reared up towards the guards and threw his hooves out before him, kicking at them.
The guards moved backward, except for one, Max!
Our eyes met, and I pleaded silently with him for help, but he looked away.
“Max!” I called his name. “NO!” Screaming with everything my soul had left.
But it was too late; the water below Ares was turning red.
Max lowered his sword from in front of him, and it clanged to the ground.
The blade was coated in crimson… blood. Ares’ blood.
Ares lowered his front legs to the ground, taking a few steps back before he fell into the water, sending a splash of red to hit me.
“ARES!” No! This can’t be happening! My soul was being ripped from my body; everything I had was gone.
Ares lifted his head towards me and let out a final whimper before his eyes drained of the life that had just saved my own.
Tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t even say goodbye.
I had to run, but my feet were frozen in place, frozen with the anger coursing through my body.
My tears blurred my vision as they fell to my cheeks.
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing for Ares to move, to be alive.
My eyes flew open, and the tears that once ran down my face were floating in front of me.
I set my sights on the guards who were wading into the red-stained water.
Rage. I was consumed by the rage coursing through my veins, as the marks on my arms began to glow.
The water began to rise higher around me as I stared down the guards, locking eyes with Max.
They were all going to pay for this. The roaring storm outside was now surging through me, coursing through my heart.
I let out a guttural scream, and thunder cracked as lightning streaked through the sky.
The water around me surged, rushing into a massive wave that reached for the heavens above.
The red-stained water swirled around Ares, gliding over his body before flowing and joining together with the wall of water forming.
Streaks of red brought the swell of water to life, feeding it like pulsing veins fed the heart.
I poured all my energy into the pulsing wave as a hoof stepped out from the cascading wall, followed by another, and finally, a winged horse made of water and Ares’s blood emerged and stood before me.
The horse spread its wings, and droplets of crimson water tore through the air.
It reared and broke into a sprint, splashing and sending streams of water skyward with each step.
The horrified guards tried to turn and run, but it was faster.
Wings spread wide, it collided with the guards, knocking them back to the water's edge before vanishing back into the lake. It had given me time to run. I took one last glance at Ares’ lifeless body and whispered, “I’m sorry. ”
A guard sputtered water out of his mouth as he crawled to his feet, shaking the water from his hair.
The others were slow to get up behind him.
I turned away from Ares and faced the dark expanse of water in front of me.
Then I closed my eyes and jumped headfirst in.
The cold was the first thing I noticed; it pierced my skin all over like a thousand tiny knives stabbing me at the same time.
Swim. I had to swim. My eyes shot open, and I began to kick and pull myself through the water, trying to create as much distance as possible between myself and the guards before resurfacing for air.
I pushed my lungs to the last possible second and aimed upwards, breaking the surface of the water and breathing in a lungful of air.
I twisted around and looked towards the shore, but the guards were not following me anymore.
“Come back here, girl, the water is not safe.” One shouted towards me.
Ignoring him, I turned around and began to swim away.
“Stop, girl! Look out!” His words were drenched in fear.
I turned back to him, and a look of terror had his mouth hanging open and eyes wide. Two large green tendrils were on either side of me, and I didn’t even have time to panic before they wrapped around me and pulled me under.