The Royalty

Chapter 41

"You can't," Gabe argued. "It's not safe. He will get here eventually and he will be fine. We don't know how close they are. You are endangering yourself if you leave."

"I cannot just leave him there, Gabriel! He's my son."

I jogged to his room, hearing gunshots for the first time and and feeling worry clench in my gut. I heard cries coming from his room and I slammed the door open. Three guards were surrounding the bed to try and make him leave. Alex was cowering by his headboard, absolutely terrified.

"Please, Prince Alexander, we have to go," they pleaded.

"No! I don't want to go out there!"

Alex noticed me and ran across his bed to me. "Daddy!" he said and I picked him up. As soon as I started to turn around, he struggled in my arms.

"No! Daddy, please don't make me go. I don't want to. Please."

He was so scared that he was shaking violently, but we had to get to the safe room. "Alex, we have to go. I know you're scared, but it will be okay if we just go right now."

He shook his head and tried to break free again. I had to find away to make him calm down. I placed him on the bed, trying to quickly make a plan, knowing in the back of my mind that our time to escape was fleeting.

I placed my hands on his face so he had to look at me and so that I could wipe away his tiny tears. "Do you want to play a game, Alex?" I asked, hoping it would divert his attention from what was happening.

"What game?"

"One that I just made up. All you have to do is squeeze your eyes closed super, super tight. Then, you have to slowly count as high as you can. Just focus on the numbers and keeping your eyes shut and you will win. Okay?"

He sniffled a little, but nodded. "Okay."

I breathed a small sigh of relief. I picked him up again, whispering in his ear. "Close your eyes and start counting."

He wrapped his arms around my neck and buried his face in my shoulder. I heard him say, "One," and I knew it was okay to leave the room.

I held him close and stepped into the hallway. The gunshots were getting louder and I knew we didn't have much time until the rebels were on our heels. I just hoped we would make it to safety before they got in a good shot.

"Two," Alex said.

"Good job," I encouraged. "Keep going."

As we turned the corner, I made eyes contact with a man wearing a rugged uniform who was holding a gun in his hand. I stopped in my tracks. He realized who I was and raised his gun. I turned around as the first shot was fired. It sailed far above our heads. I sprinted back around the corner, trying to think of another way to the safe room. I heard the man chasing us, his footsteps slapping against the floor.

"Three," came my son's small whimper. I turned another corner. Bullets whizzed by but this man was an awful shot. None of them were even close to hitting their target.

Another rebel appeared in the entrance of one of the parlors. Light was emanating from behind him and smoke started crawling through the air, its suffocating tendrils making their way into the hallway. He must've set the room on fire. He also had a gun and promptly took it out. I sped up and a bullet hit the wall two feet away from me.

"Four."

I felt like I was on autopilot. I didn't know which way I was going or how it led to the safe room, but I knew I would make it there eventually. All I could think about was making sure that Alex was safe. It didn't even matter to me if I made it through this. He was my top priority.