King's Cage [Completed]

Chapter Nine

I stand in front of a full length mirror and stare at myself. My white dress. My blood red lips. My black eye makeup. I am beautiful. I am a monster... Marrying a monster. The perfect power couple. Maids scurry around me, making last minute adjustments to everything. They chat quietly amongst themselves, but I can't hear a word. The hour after the ceremony, inbetween the reception, is my escape. I have no idea how I will make it out in this dress, but at least I can kick off my heels. I just pray that Cal will be waiting for me, somewhere.

Cal.

The brother of the monster. My second choice. But I can't think that way, so when it all comes down to it, my first choice. His brother will never change, so how could I ever love him fully? I can love Cal with all my heart and he will never hurt me. He would never turn so evil.

A few minutes pass in complete silence; the maids have finished and wait obediently by the door. When a guard opens it and announces that it is time for me to walk down the aisle, I freeze.

What if nobody is there? What if I get so far to escape, and then I'm left alone, abandoned?

But I have to take this chance, so I take a deep breath, smile, and walk out the door.

♥

Maven stands next at the front of the aisle. He's a beautiful wreck. Dressed in his nicest clothing and smiling, he watches me walk toward him. We are surrounded by Silvers, watching my every move. I'm in the spotlight today.

I don't hear a word that anybody says, but I listen for my turn to say "I do." Maven says it first, full of love that I cannot give back. I say it, with disdain. Maven's expression doesn't change at all at my tone.

Then it's time to seal the deal, and Maven lifts up my veil. I force myself not to grimace or enjoy it too much. Emotionless and nervous at the same time, I allow him to kiss my lips. He lays a hand on the small of my back and pressed me closer and my arms hang limp. A second too late, he realizes that I will not participate in this action yet, and he lets me go. Without breaking a sweat, he picks me up and carries my down the aisle. Now we have an hour before we receive our guests.

An hour to escape. It's time.

♥

Maven leaves me in my room and the maids surprise me by giving me a different dress to put on. This one is shorter but just as white. Ironic. White, when I am not pure. Of all the things I've done, this one gets to me the most. But then they leave me and I snap out of my thoughts.

I wait 10 minutes before leaving my room.

In the hallway, there are guards at every single door. As I walk pass them, they stare straight ahead, never looking at me once. Taking advantage of this situation, I finally make it to tunnels that Cal brought me through when we visited my family during my stay here as Mareena Titanos.

As I walk through the dark, I hear voices ahead and behind me. Without a seconds hesitation, I run ahead as fast as I can. Behind me, lights appear and I see the shadows of people, more distinctively, Maven.

I tear off my shoes and run through the tunnel. My dress is already covered in filth. Ahead of me, farther than Maven and his guards, I see more lights. I scream loudly so they know I'm here. The lights get brighter.

All I can do is run and hope that the lights in front of me are the Scarlet Guard. Then, seconds later I see Cameron. Farley. Kilorn. Cal.

Maven is getting closer to me, so close I can clearly see his face when I look back. But then, as I run toward freedom, a hand catches my dress and I feel it rip. I speed up, begging to get away.

Cal is so near that I can hardly contain myself. The others behind him drop to their knees and pull out their guns. Bullets whiz through the air around us and I grab Cal's hand. For a second, just a moment, we lock eyes, then the moment is over and I'm running harder than I have in my life. We crash through the Scarlet Guard and begin our retreat. We're almost there. We've almost escaped this hell.

Almost.

As we emerge from the tunnel we find ourselves surrounded. By guards. By guests. By Maven.

Heyyyy. So I'm not that good with writing action, so let me know what you think. I do know that some Cal lovers are excited though... :)