I took a small step forward keeping my body pressed to the wall, I looked down towards the front entry and my heart froze. Victors goons were standing there, Spiridon and the other guy, but it looked like they were too busy arguing to have noticed me. I jumped back and took a deep breath, trying to remember another way out of this house. Lissa put her hand on my shoulder and I looked up at her, she was worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.
"What's wrong Rose?" she whispered.
"Besides the obvious." I sighed. "we can't use any of the downstairs exists, Victor has guards at the front door and there's no way out the back door without passing them." I drummed my fingers against the inside of my arms as I crossed them in front of me.
"There is no way to get out from the second story," Lissa whispered frightened.
"Well, no conventional way," I said thinking of something, it was either pure brilliance or it would get us killed. I hoped for the former.
Lissa visibly cringed. "You've got that look on your face."
"What look?" I asked cocking my brow.
"The look that says I'm not going to like what comes next." she shook her head but gave me a small trusting smile.
"I would never put you in danger Lissa," I said touching my hand to the necklace I always wore. Lissa had given it to me as a gift for my 18th birthday. It was a family heirloom and probably worth a small fortune, but she wanted me to have it, she had said I was part of her family. The only real family she could trust and rely on she had left now it seems. "now lie down on the ground." I instructed taking her hand and tugging her down as I lay flat on the ground. The carpet smelled musty as little moats of dust floated around from our movements.
Slowly we army crawled across the hallway towards the west side of the building where Lissa and I had spent the majority of our time here. I crawled in front of Lissa but we didn't encounter anything and that sure fact tied with the fact we weren't exactly making a speedy getaway was making me more and more anxious by the minute.
Once we made it past the open balustrades both Lissa and I straightened up. It was only about 100 feet but it had felt like miles. I was sweating and Lissa looked covered in dust, I was sure I looked the same. We slowly and carefully crept down the hallway, unsure if there was anyone else here, we quickly made our way to Lissa's old room.
Thankfully the door wasn't locked and there didn't seem to be anyone else in here. I allowed Lissa a few moments to change her clothes. She had left a few things here for safe keeping, I had to admit I was getting tired of looking at her in that now tattered and torn Frozen dress. Now in a simple pair of black yoga pants and a long sleeved pale blue thermal, she looked much more comfortable, and it covered her bandages.
Lissa sat down on the bed and put on a pair of sneakers that had been tucked under the bed frame. I looked around the room taking everything in. Nothing had changed since Lissa and I had left. The same comforter lay over the bed. Lissa's knickknacks and photos still graced her dressing table and her clothes still hung neatly in her closet. It was like Victor had some creepy shrine for Lissa, he was like one of those parents who lost their kid and never changed their room, waiting for her to come back and claim it.
"Creepy," I said with a shiver. Lissa looked around and shrugged.
"Useful at the moment," she said as she tugged a comb through her hair and began tying it up into a bun.
"If your finished grooming yourself Princess, it's about time we escaped this castle," I said walking over to the large picture window.
"How in the world are we going to get down there," Lissa said coming to stand beside me. She looked down at Victor's huge expanse of Garden.
"Let down your hair," I said flatly. I looked up at Lissa trying to keep my face serious. She touched her hand to her hair thinking I was being serious then realised what I was saying and shoved at my shoulder.
"This is so not the time for your stupid jokes." she rolled her eyes. "now seriously. How are we getting down?"
"We climb," I said opening the window, it slid open with little resistance. I looked down at the brickwork and was so glad I had remembered and that it was still here. Lissa popped her head out the window and looked down. When she saw it, she starting walking backwards shaking her head.
"No Rose. Don't you remember you tried that once and it didn't end well." Lissa looked miserable. "there is no way out"
"Don't be stupid. This won't be like the last time. I'm stronger and I'm faster and well desperate. This will work." I said again sounding surer than I felt. I had attempted to climb down this trellis before. The ivy was only young and hadn't grown as thick and as hardy as it looked now. I had wanted to go over to my crush Jessie's house the next block over and Victor in a moment of actual parenting said no. We were only 16 and home for the holidays. I tried to climb down, the branches weren't strong enough but my leg got stuck so I was left hanging with a broken ankle for over half an hour till the paramedics came and cut me down. It was probably the single most embarrassing event of my life.
"Well, what am I going to do if you get stuck again?" she gave me a faint smile. In any other situation, Lissa would be ribbing me about my stupidity.
"Climb down without me, run and don't look back until you're home safe," I said seriously. The little light that had entered her eyes dimmed instantly.
"I can't just leave you here," she said panicked.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. But promise me, if it does you will do as I say and run." I said taking her hands in mine. Her eyes glimmered with fresh tears but they didn't fall until she gave her head a sharp nod in agreement.
"Promise Rose," she whispered on a breath. I pulled her in and gave her a tight hug, my face pressing against her collar bone, I felt her lean her cheek on my head, we stayed like that for a short moment before I carefully detangled myself from her and gave her a wink.
"The show must go on." I took a deep breath before sitting down on the window sill and pulling my legs over the free edge. I used my hands to steady myself on the window and turned around shoving my feet through the vines I looked down once gulping before I slowly started to move downwards. It really was a lot higher than I expected. I looked up and Lissa's pale face was watching me. My hands stung as the thorns tore at my soft flesh. I cursed myself for not finding Lissa a pair of gloves.
When I was half the way I leant back and motioned for her, I tested it again, shaking the trellis, making sure it would take both our weights. She followed the same way I did but a bit slower and filled with a lot more fear. I heard her sharp intake of breath a moment later and my head snapped up. Lissa raised her hand to check it out and I saw a thorn buried in her thumb. I went to move my leg down but my other foot got caught in the vines. I grabbed at the lattice with my hands but it wasn't quick enough, I felt the rush of air then the ground was beneath my back. I didn't dare move as I stared up at Lissa's look of pure horror.
"Rose." she squeaked moving at a slightly faster pace towards me. Her toes touched the ground then she was beside me touching my cheek. "Are you okay? Can you move your arms and legs?" I saw her eyes raking my body taking in my condition.
"I think so," I replied, slowly I moved each finger then both hands, I moved my forearms, I knew like Lissa did that I could cause more damage if I was injured. A part of me was terrified to start moving my bottom half. What if my back was broken and I never walked again? Would Lissa really run and leave me here as she promised. I hoped so. I stilled, my mind whirring.
"Keep going, Rose. You're doing great." she smiled at me, she touched my leg and I thanked whoever was watching over us that I had felt it. I kept going. Moving my shoulders, wiggling my toes. Rotating my ankles, lifting my leg below the knees. My left leg burned with pain and I gasped. Lissa's eyes opened wide. "Is it broken?" her fingers gently touched the material of my jeans and I had to bite my lip to stop from spewing out profanities.
"Not sure, possibly just sprained" I planted my hands on either side of myself and slowly sat up. Lissa put her hand on my back and helped me, cooing gently. I was thankful I had landed on a soft leafy plant rather than the large rose bush that was meter feet away. "I'll be okay. Can you help me up?" I asked reaching my hand out to Lissa. She looked shocked.
"You can't walk on that." she retorted. "it could be badly broken."
"I don't have much choice." I huffed a little more aggressively than I had intended. Lissa didn't look offended and I was glad. I wasn't mad at her; I was mad at myself. I had only been a few feet off the ground and I had let myself get distracted and it could have cost Liss her life. I didn't have long to wallow in it because Lissa helped me to my feet and I almost passed out at the pain. Stars danced before my eyes and I swayed where I stood.
"You need to sit back down." Lissa cried grabbing my shoulders to steady me, tears were welling up in my eyes, the pain was agonising.
"Lissa, you need to go. I'll be right behind you. Just run." Lissa was shaking her head in denial the enter time I spoke.
"I won't," she argued.
"But you promised." I sighed, leaning heavily on my un-injured leg.
"Rose." she growled, putting her hands on her hips and trying to look powerful "Just put your arm around me. We can do this together. You didn't leave me behind so I'm not going to leave you."
"Liss."I sighed. "I might not be able to go far and I won't risk your life."
"Then I'm not going anywhere, I'll stay right here with you. We can hide in the bushes or something till we feel a bit better"
"That's too dangerous," I whispered. I was again surprised nobody had come out to investigate the loud thudding noise of me hitting the ground. I hadn't been exactly quiet.
Lissa just walked over to me and grabbed my arm. Putting it around her shoulder she took the weight off my leg and I grimaced. She was weak with blood loss; we wouldn't get far like this. I knew my car was hidden in the front yard but Viktor's security had taken all of my things and I wasn't sure how good I was at hotwiring a car.
We moved slowly, trying to keep in the cover of the plants and trees around us. My ears pricked and I stopped dead, Lissa stopped beside me and looked around, she had heard it too. I noticed the sweat beading on her forehead from the stress and strain before I looked around. I could hear voices, shouting near the main garden exit. I cursed quietly under my breath. That was the shortest path out of here. I turned around and cursed again. The only other way out was through the maze Viktor had built for Natalie. She was obsessed with the movie The Labyrinth and had insisted for years that it was all she had wanted for her birthday, Christmas and Easter. I think Viktor had not so secretly loved the maze too.
It wasn't a huge maze and Lissa and I had walked it before, but geese was it a pain in the ass right now. Lissa tucked my arm over her shoulder again and without a word, we waddled over to the entrance of the maze. I turned my head just in time to see Viktor's people come around the corner. I had no idea if they saw us but I dived around the large foliage, pulling Lissa with me. My knee screamed in protest. That's when I hear the ear-shattering sound of gunshots in our direction.
okay, I know it was short but I feel like I'm nearing to the end and I didn't really want it to be all over yet
I think I will only do 2 more chapters. maybe an epilogue after that.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I wonder if you know what's coming next for our little group of miscreants.
love you all and thanks again for your amazing comments! keep em coming
xx