The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow over the Azenkial Empire. In the quiet of the servants' quarters, Lily whispered to her new friend, Elara, a common maid like herself.
"Are you certain about this?" Elara's voice was a soft murmur, barely rising above the sound of distant revelry.
Lily nodded, her eyes resolute. "I've never been more certain of anything. Tonight, I leave this gilded cage."
Elara glanced around, ensuring their conversation remained private. "The guards change shifts at the third bell. We'll have a brief window to slip past the eastern gate."
"And the passphrase?" Lily asked, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her dress.
"Whisper 'The nightingale sings at dawn,'" Elara instructed, "That's how they'll know you're one of us."
Lily took a deep breath, committing the words to memory. "The nightingale sings at dawn. I won't forget."
Elara reached out, squeezing Lily's hand. "Freedom is worth the risk. Remember, once you're beyond the walls, head for the willow grove. Our contact will find you there."
.............................
As the third bell tolled, its deep chime resonating through the stone halls, Lily's heart raced with the promise of liberty. She slipped through the shadows, her steps light and silent. The eastern gate loomed ahead, a towering structure of iron and wood.
"The nightingale sings at dawn," she whispered to the cloaked figure waiting in the darkness.
A nod, and the gate creaked open, revealing the world beyond. Lily stepped through, the scent of freedom intoxicating.
Elara watched from a distance, her heart swelling with pride and worry. "Be safe, my friend," she murmured, a silent prayer to the stars.
"I hope you can go further from here", prayed Elara silently. But this was not the main gate of the Empire, and Elara knew it.
.......................................
The gate behind her closed with a soft thud, and Lily found herself enveloped in the vast expanse of the Azenkial Empire's gardens. She had assumed it was the main gate, but as she ventured deeper, the manicured hedges gave way to wilder foliage, and the path beneath her feet became less certain.
She paused, a frown creasing her brow. "This isn't right," she muttered, her breath forming clouds in the chill air. The realization dawned on her; Elara had misled her. This was a sub gate, a mere servant's exit leading into a labyrinthine garden that was more akin to a forest.
Elara, why?" she whispered to herself, the sting of betrayal sharp in her chest.
Her pace quickened to a run, the rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs beneath her feet punctuating her urgency. The vast garden was a forest in disguise, a natural labyrinth designed to disorient and trap the unwary.
Above, unseen in the darkness, Asher, observed her flight with a predator's focus. His powers allowed him to trace her every move, his mind weaving the threads of her fate with a sorcerer's precision.
Run, little bird," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that stirred the leaves. "But the cage you flee from is larger than you know."
Lily, unaware of the dark Lord's gaze, pushed on. The main gate had to be there, beyond the deceptive calm of the garden-forest.
....................
In the thick of the garden, Lily saw a soft light. She walked towards it and found a magical fox glowing in the dark. The fox, called a Lumifox, spoke to her kindly.
YOU ARE READING
Midnight Bite 🔞
RomanceThe story is set in a world where vampires have taken over, and Lily, a young woman from a lost prestigious royal family, was abandoned by her parents. Fortunately, her uncle, Mr. Wu, took her in and raised her with love and care. Lily's passion for...
