When The Stars Align

chapter nine | running through the rooftops

"You're choosing the sister who you barely know over the people that raised you into the person you are today?" he questioned, taking out his own blade. "I kind of always expected this day to come."

He swung the blade. I was quick to react. The sound of the clash of metal filled the room, making the kids wince. I couldn't let Damien grab them as I was fighting Ansen.

I ducked Ansen's next swing and took the opportunity to kick Damien in the groin. He bent down, clutching his body. I kicked him again, at his side.

Ansen takes another swing, and this time lands the hit. The blade slices my thigh, the cloth of my sweatpants ripping and blood dripping out. It stings, but I don't let it stop me, swinging the blade at his side and kicking him in the chest. He stumbles back.

As he attempts to regain balance, it gives me enough time to take baby Annalise from Isadora's arms and run out of the safe room, the six others in tow.

"Runrunrunrun," I say, urging the kids. This was a stupid mistake. I can't handle all of these kids on my own. Curse Victoria for having so many kids, and not staying pregnant for another three days so I didn't have to deal with this baby! And on top of that, my run had a limp. I couldn't shake off the pain.

Ansen and Damien could easily catch up to us. I just have to pray that I was given a big enough head start and they weren't right behind us.

"Turn here," I whisper shouted to Leo at the front.

"That's a dead end," he whispered back.

I shook my head. "It's not a dead end, trust me." Please trust me.

He turned the corner, and he was right, it was a dead end. But a castle this big was bound to have many secret passageways. And if I remembered correctly...

My fingers brushed over the old brick, trying to look for the entrance. It was here - it had to be here. I used this passageway too many times as a kid, making me the ultimate winner of hide and seek, every time. I didn't tell them about this place, did I?

In the far corner, I see it - a six pointed star. I push onto the brick, which moved inwards. There was shock in the kids' eyes as the wall revealed a secret staircase. I ushered them in, and made sure no one was following before closing the door.

"How did you know this was here?" Aurora asked. Five years old, and already curiosity has filled her mind.

I gave a small smile. "When I was your age, I spent too much time exploring this place. You never know what you can find, can you?"

"Are we going to Uncle Lysander's house now?" Isadora asked. She looked as though she as on the brink of tears.

I bit my lip. The kids were only one part of Ansen and Damien's plan. There were probably more of their minions looking for what they actually came for. The royal children would've just been a bonus for them.

"We're going upstairs. I still have to do something. You guys have to stick with me and stay quiet, alright?" I told the kids. Normal kids are known to be reckless, but these guys actually listened. If only I was like them, we wouldn't end up in this position in the first place.

"Aunt Vera, what are you going to do?" Leo asked. He was the oldest here, the smartest. And he probably knew I was up to something. He was too smart for his age. "This isn't safe, is it?" His voice is hushed when he asks that.

"I won't let anything happen to you, okay?"

He nodded, he didn't question me after that.

We climb four flights of stairs. The good thing about the passageway was that you couldn't hear what was going on inside from outside the walls. The bad thing was that the same applied from inside. I had no idea what was going on, and Ansen could have easily had another way to track us.