The Shadow had been pulled away for an emergency—a security breach, they’d said—and I had to assume that meant the estate was in disarray. If ever there was a chance to make a run for it, this was it. My mind raced with every detail I’d memorized on the way down here. The exit I’d seen when the guards escorted me to dinner was still unguarded. The front door. A bold, dangerous gamble, but if I could just slip away...
I took a steadying breath and forced myself to appear calm and nonchalant. Placing my fork neatly beside my plate, I pushed back my chair. “I’m done,” I announced to the guards.
Two of them stepped forward, flanking me, their grip firm on my arms. Their hands were like iron, but I didn’t struggle. It was best to appear meek and obedient. I grabbed my glass of water from the table, holding it close as if it were a precious relic.
“I’d like to take this with me.”
The guards exchanged glances but let me keep the glass. Good. That was one less obstacle. They escorted me out of thedining hall and into the main corridor. My pulse quickened as we approached the foyer. The front door was still there, wide open like the gaping maw of an escape route. And still no guards posted nearby.
My heart pounded so hard I swore it was about to tear out of my chest.They really don’t think I’m stupid enough to run, do they?Well, that was their mistake. I had nothing to lose.
As we reached the base of the grand staircase, I made my move. Pretending to stumble, I flung the water directly into an electrical outlet embedded in the wall. Sparks flew, and the smell of burning plastic filled the air.
“Oh no!” I gasped, wide-eyed with feigned panic. “It’s leaking into the wall! That’s going to cause a short circuit—fire, maybe. Do you smell that burning? We need to get someone here to fix it before it sets the place on fire.”
The guards looked at each other, thrown off balance by the sudden chaos. One of them, the taller one with a scar running down his cheek, rolled his eyes. “I’ll get Eldora. She’ll have our heads if this turns into a fire hazard.”
The other guard nodded. “Good idea. I’ll handle her,” he said, jerking his chin toward me.
Perfect. As soon as the first guard turned and hurried away, I shifted my weight, waiting for the exact moment he was out of sight.
Now.
I twisted around and drove my knee into the guard’s crotch, satisfied when the wind rushed out of his lungs in a grunt. His grip loosened just enough for me to wrench free.
I kicked off the ridiculous heels I’d been forced to wear and hiked the dress up to my thighs. Without sparing a glance behind me, I bolted toward the front door, my feet slapping against the cold marble floor.
The moment I burst through the open doorway and into the frigid night air, adrenaline rushed through me. The world outside was cloaked in darkness, the oppressive shadows seeming to reach for me with greedy, skeletal fingers.
But I didn’t let that slow me down. I kept running, pushing myself harder and harder until I was gasping for breath. The cold bit at my skin, sharp stones cutting into my bare feet, but I couldn’t afford to stop. The towering black fortress loomed behind me like a monster waiting to drag me back into its depths.
I ran like hell with only one thought echoing through my mind:Keep going. Don’t look back.
There was no telling how much time I had before they noticed I was gone, but I would rather die trying to escape than rot away in that twisted place.
I had no idea where I was or where I was running to. All I knew was that I had to get away from The Shadow. The biting chill of the rough, uneven earth sent sharp jolts of pain through my soles, but I couldn’t afford to slow down.
I could already hear shouting behind me.Shit.I veered left, cutting sharply toward a cluster of dark trees, and prayed it would give me enough cover to hide.
Branches whipped at my arms and face as I plunged into the underbrush, my dress catching on thorns. The elegant red fabric that had hugged my body like a second skin was now a cumbersome burden, dragging against my legs. I tore at it with shaking hands, ripping the fabric off at my thighs so I could run faster.
Footsteps crashed through the forest, voices growing louder. I forced myself to keep moving, even though my legs protested and my lungs burned with every gulp of the freezing air.
Hide, hide,my mind screamed. If I could lose them long enough to find a hiding spot, maybe I’d have a chance. As Istumbled through the dark forest, I glanced around desperately, searching for anything that might give me cover.
Finally, I spotted a massive fallen tree, its roots jutting out in all directions. It was the only decent hiding spot I’d come across. I threw myself over the trunk, landing hard on the other side, and started scooping handfuls of damp leaves and dirt up, covering myself as best as I could.
My heart was pounding so loudly I was sure they would hear it. I pressed myself flat against the cold, damp earth, and clamped my mouth shut to quiet my breathing. The leaves clung to my skin, and the scent of rotting wood filled my nose. Closing my eyes, I prayed the darkness would cloak me from their sight.
Footsteps. So close now. I bit down hard on my lip to keep from gasping. The crackle of twigs under heavy boots grew louder until I could hear the guard’s labored breathing. He was right there, just on the other side of the log. I could see the tip of his boot through a gap in the leaves.
My entire body went rigid.Don’t move. Don’t breathe.
The guard paused, his flashlight beam sweeping over the area, illuminating the ground around me. For a heart-stopping moment, the light was so close I thought he’d found me. But then, mercifully, it moved on. He stood there for what felt like an eternity, the beam flickering across the tree trunks and low brush.
“Must’ve gone another way,” he called out to the others.
I stayed perfectly still, my body aching from the cold and the tension, until I heard his footsteps recede into the distance. Even then, I didn’t dare move. Shivering, I lay there for what felt like an eternity, my heartbeat pounding in my ears.
