Reabeck

𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓰𝓾𝓮

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-𝓐𝓾𝓻𝓮𝓵𝓪-

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In the eerie hush of the darkened hallway, Aurela holds her breath, her heartbeat a frantic rhythm in her ears. Feet moving swiftly, she sprints across the marble floor and slips into an empty room. Rapidly scanning the area, she spies a hiding spot. 

Ah ha! Perfect!

She goes behind a tall, dusty cabinet, its ancient wood groaning softly as she squeezes into the narrow gap. A sliver of moonlight filters through a high, barred window, casting ghostly shapes on the stone walls that only add to her growing anxiety. 

Peering through a crack in the cabinet's side, she watches the one searching for her pass the door with a scowl on his face.

 "One, two," she counts aloud before pressing a hand to her mouth, stifling her voice. Instead, she switches to counting the seconds in her head.

3, 4, 5, 6, 7

 Upon reaching thirty, she takes a deep breath and cautiously leaves the spot. Pausing, she thinks of her next step, every nerve alive with the anticipation of getting caught. Deciding enough time has passed to safely exit the room, she creeps to the door and breathes a sigh of relief when she sees no one in the hall. Continuing on her route, she turns a corner only to freeze as her arm hairs rise. 

The warning comes too late; a hand clamps over her mouth, pulling her back. A scream of fright is muffled by her attacker as she claws his hand away.

"Gotcha!" Damien whispers in her ear before letting her go.

"That's not fair!" she argues instantly. "You tricked me!"

Damien gives her a shrug. "Since when are there rules?"

"Whatever," she pouts. It's the second time he has found her this week, and it doesn't sit well with her. She will have to outmatch him tomorrow.

He nudges her shoulder. "Come on, let's go to the sill."

"Fine," she agrees before shoving him away, gaining a head start as she runs to their destination. Stopping at another corner, she attempts to scare him, but he only walks past her with a pleased smirk on his face. They walk shoulder to shoulder down the narrow passage, their footsteps barely making a noise, they could hear any incoming person.

"The moon is extra bright tonight," Aurela remarks as she and Damien sneak around the statues at the ballroom entrance.

"You say that every night." Pushing his long auburn locks away from his face, Damien quietly slips behind a statue and begins climbing onto the huge window ledge.

"Well, it is true every night," she shrugs. "Make sure you don't hit the metal."

"When I grow up, I'll be so powerful I'll make the metal bend." His foot slips, almost causing him to fall. He grunts, trying to heave himself back up.

She chuckles. "Yeah, right."

"Just you wait."

"There is no waiting. It's impossible; that is just a fact."

"Alright, have no faith in me," he replies, his other foot slipping this time. 

"First you must be able to at least climb a sill," she teases, "Would you like some light before you fall?"

"No, thank you, we wouldn't want to risk someone seeing us and your father killing us." Aurela grabs his feet and pushes him the rest of the way up.

"My turn." Damien turns and pulls her up. Once entirely on the ledge, she crawls over to the window. Damien crosses his arms.