The Fall Of Astraea

5. When there's no Escape....

Tic

Toc

I sighed in frustration.

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The clouds in the night sky were starting to look unmoving.

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I smiled nervously as I heard the grandfather clock strike midnight. It meant it was time. I grabbed onto the ledge of the window near my bed. Once I climbed out there was a rope tied to a pole underneath my window. I didn't have time to question how it got there. Using the instructions I was given, I grabbed onto it and tried to climb my way down, slowly. Not to slow, I was told so I didn't get spotted by the guards. Once I got down, I ignored the pain that was in my arms and suddenly ran into the direction of the stables. I was told to keep close to the castle walls unless it was necessary. I found a lantern on near the maids quarters and I started to steer clear of it until I saw who held the lantern. I walked to him and hugged him.

"It's not over yet." Malik warned me and I nodded. "But good job. I knew you had it in you."

"Thank you." I said but I knew that if wasn't for the little training he had given me, I would have died trying to climb that wall. We walked in silence to the stables and tried not to startle the horses once we got there. I found Winter who immediately perked up once she saw me. "Hello, my lovely beauty. Did you miss me?" I whispered as I petted her muzzle. I hadn't been seeing her since I had been locked in the castle. She made a low noise of agreement. I opened her stable and let her out. I waited at the door as Malik got one of the castle's horses. We put on saddles before we got on top of them. Once we opened the door, our horses walked out . I looked at the moonlight then the castle. I was done being princess of Astraea.

"We're heading to the forest and then make out a plan from there." Malik told me.

"What about Phillip?" I asked. He was still in the dungeon and I felt so sorry for him. He did not deserve to be there.

"I have a plan for that." he replied.

"Okay." I said as I gave Winter a little nudge on the side and she started to gallop. I trusted Malik to get Phillip out since I knew I couldn't it myself. I started to feel happiness as we went straight to the gardens. No guards were usually stationed here so we wouldn't get caught. I looked at Malik and smiled and he did the same before it all went wrong.

Raging blue fire appeared out of nowhere in front of us. The horses got scared and dropped us on the ground. My arm went first to the ground and I hissed from the impact. I tried to stay calm as the pain in my arm got worse. Winter and the other horse ran away and we watched as soon as the blue fire came, it vanished. I felt fear creeping in. I had never seen blue fire and I knew it didn't exist. Malik was right on his feet when he saw it and got into a fighting stance. I tried to look in the darkness but I couldn't see a thing.

"Get up princess. Something is not right here." He said seriously and I did. He took my good hand and we ran through the garden but there was no use. I could hear the guards behind us as they got near to us. I knew I wasn't a fast runner, I wasn't athletic. The fire appeared in front of us again and we stopped coming into a halt. Tears started to run down my face. I knew we weren't going to make it. "Listen to me carefully." Malik said as he turned towards me with his hands on my shoulders. "Obviously, there's more here than just guards. There's some magic being used."

My eyes widened, "Magic?"

"Yes, it has to be a shapeshifter or a fire elemental. I'm going to leave now but I promise I'll be back with a better plan. Okay?" Malik said and I nodded. He kissed me on the forehead and that was when the guards came storming in. What was a shapeshifter? A fire elemental? I had never heard such terms. But the more I watched Malik run into the darkness, the more I realized he was more than just a stable boy. The guards roughly picked me up and when one of them gripped my hurt arm, I screamed in agony.