Fight for your Duke!

Preview

Alice could feel her hands shaking, her whole body aching, and her heart beating so fast that she would not be surprised to fall right now and die from a heart attack.

This fight was becoming too serious. It was not worth it; while love and status were significant, it was not as valuable as Bianca's life. She ran as fast as possible, but her high heels cut her feet; the pain involuntarily slowed her.

Who cares about decorum anyway? The life of her sister was in the line. She stopped, took them off her shoes, and threw them away before running again over the grass barefoot.

Her lungs were burning, and her legs were aching as never before. Tears of agony and rage were stuck in the corner of her eyes.

'If only I could do some other kind of magic. If I had the talent to call fire, I would burn a path through the maze and go straight there.'

Alice could hear what was happening with her wind magic. Her talent was not that great; still, she was trained enough to listen to things from far away if she concentrated, and there were no magic blockers around. She was a pro at eavesdropping, but her wind magic was not good for anything else.

She prayed silently that she would be on time. They were near the pond on the other side of the maze. Once they got there, they would try to drown her sister. Alice had to get there before it happened.

"Sorry, but I don't think I will be following you. It is... it's dark and strange, and I will not be following." - Alice heard the hesitant voice of her sister from far away. Bianca's voice was trembling, and you could taste the fear mixed into the words, but even then, Alice was proud.

'Good. You finally know what is good for you and are suspicious of someone. I will be there in time if you struggle enough to escape, sis.'

Alice kept running; she was not as fast as before but was already past the pain stage; she could not feel anything anymore, her legs, arms or lungs. She was almost in a trance.

"You don't think a little thing like you can go away, do you?" - she heard a raspy voice that belonged to an older woman. She had heard it before but, right now, could not place it exactly where.

"Since I knew it could happen, I brought some help." - Said another voice, an annoying tone that could only belong to the Lady Leila's maid.

Alice was reaching the end of the maze and could already see the exit.

She could hear them not too far away from their voices. She could almost feel their presence. Further, she could see the party's lights blazing. She was so close and yet so far away.

She was almost out of the maze, then she would run fast enough to reach them and make a lot of noise. She would kill someone if necessary, but she would put a stop to this disgusting game.

She was on the last path. She could see their shadows now. Two blurry shades held a small shadow in their arms; from far away, she could not see any of their features, but she was sure it was Bianca and the criminals.

She was almost out. She was going to get there on time. She could hear her sister screaming to let her go and both women laughing so loud that it hurt Alice's head. It was a good sign; it meant she was close enough to hear without the wind's magic help.

She would not alert them. It was their problem if they did not see a crazy woman running like a possessed demon in their direction. She would get there already kicking and punching. She could almost feel the flavour of the victory.

Alice suddenly was grabbed from behind. Someone else was reaching the maze exit at the same time as me, coming from another path, the wrong one if you wish to get to the center. That person who grabbed Alice was now holding her waist way too close.

"Got you!" She heard a playful tone in a familiar voice. But her body reacted before she could think. She elbowed her attacker, activated her ring and tried to punch the guy. He could be an accomplice to the crime, and she could not lose even a minute.

The ring was a self-defence artifact that her brother gave her as a birthday present. It would stun anyone else after the briefest contact after activating it. However, it was ineffective if she could not land any punches.

The elbow tactic was effective in breaking free, but the man dodged the punch and held her immobilizing her arms. She tried to struggle and kick but was easily subdued and was now lying on the ground in mere seconds. The man was holding her, using the weight of his own body, just enough force to immobilize and not enough to hurt.

It was dark, and he was tall and strong. Alice was now hyperventilating. She was getting dizzy. She was so close to where she needed to be to save her sister; how could she lose now?

"Alice, what the hell. It is me." Said the man still holding her. His face was really close, and in any other circumstances, it would have been romantic or even exciting; however, right now, she could not remember their suggestive position.

Relief flooded through her. It was Alex.

As soon as he saw the recognition in her eyes, Alex started to withdraw himself and crouched beside her. He was helping her to sit, but she was getting dizzier. 

The relief counteracted the effects of all adrenaline from before. Panic and fear and exhaustion. Alice was at her limit. Her legs and arms were not responding very well. She was breathless from all the running, but she knew that if she could explain it fast, Alex would help her. Alex was brilliant; there was nothing he could not do.

"Kill you... Sister... danger... Save... pond." She started hyperventilating earlier, and now her vision was getting dark. She focused on explaining the situation and pointed in the direction she could hear her sister not long ago.

"Please" was the last word she was able to say, almost inaudible before everything went black.