“Let go of me!” My voice broke as heavy tears streamed down my cheeks.
“I’m sorry.” Roxanne dragged me back towards the woods.
“Let go,” I choked on my own tears when another pair of hands grabbed my other side, carrying me away. “Please!” I cried out when Gabriel's palm fell onto my mouth.
“The Wurdulacs will hear us, and then we are all dead!” he hissed before dropping his hands to my waist, effortlessly picking me up before breaking into a run. Roxanne followed after. “Did anyone see you going this direction?” He asked Roxanne.
“No, but I’m sure they will soon realize Francis and Simon weren’t the only ones there.”
The cold fabric of Gabriel’s cloak soaked my tears as he carried me through the woods; my palm fell onto my mouth, muffling the cries that fought for their way out.
“Are you injured?” Gabriel turned his gaze to me.
I shook my head, my eyes shutting closed.
The fire erupted in my mind, the fire that took Simon away. His agonizing scream thundered in my ears. The smell of burnt flesh spun my stomach into nausea.
“Can you ride?” Gabriel released his hold until my feet felt the ground.
My knees weakened as I leaned on the willow tree.
The willow tree, which I’d often climbed as a child, hid us from unwanted view, hid the tunnel Francis disappeared into: away from me.
I took a step out of the sanctuary, towards the open view of the palace grounds.
The dark night skies were peaceful, laughing at the disruption that had occurred under its watch. The snow fell slowly onto the palace’s walls as though it was no more than an ordinary night. And nothing but the most damning storm spawned deep within me.
“She will ride.” Roxanne caught my arm before I managed another step in the direction of the palace. Her fingers wrapped around my wrist in an unrelenting grasp.
Gabriel untightened the horses’ reins, letting Francis’ and Simon’s free.
“We can’t leave him.” My voice shook as I met Roxanne’s empty gaze. The tears froze in the corners of her brown, glowing eyes. “We can’t—”
The cold snow froze my own tears when my eyes caught a figure in a blue cloak running in our direction from the corner of the palace.
“Let me go!” I hissed at Roxanne, fighting with her firm grasp. “Let them take me, it will give you more time to get away.” I shoved the flint into her pocket.
“Get on your horse!” she hissed back, shoving me towards Annabelle. “You can’t help him, not by yourself and not right now!” She shoved Annabelle’s reins into my palms. “And you cannot help him if you are dead! And if you don’t get on this horse right now that is what awaits you.” She pushed me into the saddle before mounting her own horse.
“They are going after us!” Gabriel screamed as three figures in dark blue cloaks ran towards where we stood: their bows drawn.
“Go!” Roxanne screamed when Gabriel ordered his horse into the depths of the forest.
I glanced back at the Wurdulacs as they shortened the distance. Their arrows pointed at us.
“Cordelia!” Roxanne drew her own bow, sending the first arrow flying straight into the closest man’s chest. The arrow did not stop his run, as he simply broke off the end of a weapon: dropping it onto the snow. “I will kill you myself if you don’t start moving right this moment!” She sent another arrow flying in our followers’ direction.
The small flame erupted in the Wurdulac’s hands as they set the tips of their arrows aflame before letting them free.
“Fuck!” Roxanne ducked, ordering for her horse to run. “Cordelia!” She glanced back, yet all I could see was the fire taking over Simon’s flesh—
“Cordelia!” Roxanne yelled, spooking Annabelle into a run: away from the flaming arrows, away from the palace, away from Francis.
I love you.He had told me.
And I hadn’t said it back.
