It was either fear or adrenaline that kept me going. I was sure it had to be both.
I didn't glance back to make sure Evander or Lily were following, but I did it more to give them privacy. I already felt awkward for hearing their early conversation, I didn't want to intrude on anything else.
Up and up we went, the cool stone wall to my right and a black expanse of nothing to my left. The steps were steep and narrow, one wrong foot and you would be lost forever in the bowels of the dungeon. I tried not to think about it as I hurried up, my footsteps echoing too loudly off the stones. The lantern in my hand swung gently, but not enough for the precious light to go out inside.
The stairs began to curve to the right, then I saw light other than my lantern, gradually growing bigger. Relief washed over me like a tidal wave.
We were almost out of this place. I knew Caspar was waiting for us up there, ready to open the gate. I picked up my pace, almost until I was running, and skidded to a stop at the top platform. A moment later, Evander and Lily were there with me.
The gate creaked open, revealing Caspar's tall frame. He wasted no time in pulling me through, tucking all three of us into an alcove.
"The guards are sleeping." He said urgently, "but they'll wake soon. Yuna waits for us in a meadow near the village, but we have to get to her on our own."
I nodded, "We'll have to take the servants stairwells and passageways, it's the only way to get out safely."
"If we can make it to Lilac's room, Alexia will take us through." Lily offered, "And I can't wear this dress, it's too recognizable."
I pulled off the dark cloak I wore and gave it to her, "This will have to do for now, there's no time to change. How can we trust this Alexia?"
Lily's eyes were bright, almost feverish, "I'd trust her with my life. She knew that I wasn't Lilac and kept the secret for so long. She'll help us."
Caspar nodded, glanced out the alcove, "It's time to go, then."
His fingers sought mine, startling me only a little, and held tight.
We left the alcove, treading lightly as we snuck down hallways, heading towards the main stairwell so we could make it to Lilac's chambers. Even though it was dark, there were still guards everywhere.
As we turned the corner on the second floor, Caspar hissed and pushed all of us back against the wall.
"Six guards." He whispered, "stationed at Lilac's chambers."
I clamped down on my lip to stop from screaming in frustration.
Caspar turned his eyes to Evander, "Your Highness."
A understanding passed between them, and Evander nodded, slinking forward and glancing around the corner. I felt Lily's hand creep into mine, squeezing a little, and I squeezed back.
Evander closed his eyes, then began to chant in a language only known to those with magic. Lily gasped next to me, but I squeezed her hand again to keep her quiet. I knew it was shocking to learn Evander had magic, but now was not the time for Lily to go into shock.
The lights in the hallway flickered out, one by one. Evander had always had an aptitude with fire.
The guards were left in complete darkness, giving us the perfect cover. I couldn't see anything, but I trusted Caspar enough to get us to the doors.
"Here." It was the barest whisper, spoken against my ear so I wouldn't miss it.
I nodded and felt around until I found the door handles. I pulled them open the slightest bit, just enough for us to slip through into the chambers beyond. Lily went through first, then Evander, then Caspar, leaving me last.
I felt a hot breath on the back of my neck and froze, holding my own breath.
"What happened to the candles?" A guard was asking.
"Maybe a draft." Another voice said, the guard right next to me. He sounded familiar.
I felt another breath, this one on my ear, and with it, a barely audible voice saying, "Go! I'll distract the guards, you can make your escape."
I didn't argue. I slid myself through the crack, bringing the door with me. Only then did I release the breath I was holding.
"Rose, are you all right?"
I nodded, half gasping, "I'm fine, I'm fine, let's go."
Lily and Evander were already in Lilac's bedchamber. I would've felt bad for entering her private chambers, but we were in too much danger to heed privacy.
Alexia stood in the middle of the room, eyes as wide as saucers as we piled into the room. Lily rushed forward, the tattered ends of her dress dragging on the floor, and took Alexia's hands.
"Alexia, please, we need your help."
Alexia looked from her, to Evander and Caspar, then to me and back to Lily. She blinked a few moments, then her face hardened and she focused on Lily again, "What do you need?"
"Safe guidance through the servant passageways." I interjected. Time was wasting away, and every second was precious.
Alexia nodded, curls bouncing, "Of course. Follow me, Your Highnesses."
She pulled back a tapestry and revealed the doorway leading to the servant passageways. She took a torch from a scone on the wall and led the way into the passage, which was tight, dim, and dusty.
Lily and Evander were in front of me, Caspar behind me.
"Rose," he murmured in my ear, "if something happens—"
I spun around, my hand landing on his chest, "Stop." My voice quivered, "Don't say that. You're not leaving me again, not like last time." I couldn't finish.
"Rose." He spoke my name like a promise or a curse. Both.
I touched his jaw, my thumb finding his lips, and he exhaled shakily, like every touch was killing him.
"Don't." I shook my head, "just... don't."
I faced the others again, my fingers finding his, and we continued on our way through the passage.
I knew that Caspar was just being cautious, but I couldn't, couldn't, think of anything happening to him. I almost lost him once, I couldn't stand to go through it again.
We would survive this.
Alexia led us down a rickety staircase, built of wood with thick cobwebs everywhere. At the bottom, we stopped and waited with baited breath.
She opened the door, almost blinding me from the sudden light, and slipped out for a moment.
"Where do we go from here?" Lily asked in a whisper, "Because I must find Lilac as soon as possible."
Caspar answered, his voice dark, "Hopefully, Yuna will be ready for us when we get to the meadow. We will travel straight to Gelus." The word he used was strange, and it was tinged with bitterness.
It took me a long moment to understand that was the name they used for the Northern Kingdom, where Morgana ruled.
It must've been hard for him, then, to go back to where Morgana was. Caspar hated her just as much as I did. And I was sure Yuna felt the same way.
Alexia returned, "All clear. Follow me and do not make a sound."
She opened the door and ushered us through one-by-one. The passage led out to the servants' quarters. Most of the doors were closed and those within them were silent. Alexia led us through the twisting corridors, until finally, finally, we made it to a door leading out of the palace.
"This is as far as I go." Said Alexia, "this door leads out to the herb garden. The gate is just past the garden, it's hardly ever guarded, and the path leads down to the village. May great Celeste guide your way, Your Highnesses."
Lily embraced her tightly, "Stay safe, Alexia, we'll come back as soon as we are able."
Alexia nodded, wiping away tears from her cheeks, "Now, go! Before anyone notices you all are missing! Hurry!"
We slipped out of the door and the last thing I saw was Alexia standing there, watching as we went through the unguarded gate, her hands folded together.
>> >> >>
The silver half moon had peaked by the time we skirted around the village and made it to the meadow where Yuna was waiting.
I was tired and hungry and still exhilarated from our escape. I could tell my companions felt the same.
We passed through the tree line and approached the firelight we had seen from a distance. Two figures sat close to the fire, talking in low voices.
"Yuna." Caspar called quietly.
One of the two figures stood and hurried over to us, revealing Yuna with her blonde plaits and sweeping robe, "Caspar, thank Celeste you're alive." She embraced her brother, then me, "And Rose." And even though she only came to my collarbone, she squeezed with all the ferocity of a relieved mother.
She let go and faced the last two people in our group, her first landing on Evander, "You must be Prince Evander. I am Yuna, Caspar's sister. And you..."
Her eyes grew wide with awe as she looked at Lily, then she did something that surprised us all.
She dropped to one knee, her right fist over her heart, head bowed, and her left hand extended over her head. A heartbeat later, Caspar joined her.
"My lady, it is an honor to stand in your presence." Yuna uttered, her voice just as full of awe as her eyes were.
Evander and I exchanged bewildered looks. Lily opened and closed her mouth a few times.
"I... you... what?" She sounded as confused as I felt.
Yuna picked herself up, followed by Caspar, and glared at her brother, "Did you not explain to her?"
A muscle feathered his jaw, but he said nothing. Yuna sighed and shook her head.
"I am sorry, Your Majesty, but I should really explain it all when we find Queen Lilac."
Lily's eyes were wide, "Q-Queen? What are you talking about?"
"I will explain it all to you, I promise." Yuna said again, "But for now, we must focus on getting out of here. It isn't safe to stay."
"Is the spell ready?" Asked Caspar.
Yuna nodded, "I just have the last things to prepare. And I'll need another person with magical abilities to help conduit the spell."
Evander lifted his head, "I can help."
"Lily?" It was the second figure, now revealing himself as a young man.
Lily's mouth dropped open, "Simon?"
Simon rushed forward and Lily embraced him joyfully.
"Simon, I though I'd never see you again!" Exclaimed Lily. They held each other at shoulder-length.
Simon shook his head, "And I you! But, what's going on? Why do we have to leave the kingdom?"
"It's a long story." Lily answered.
Yuna pulled Evander and Caspar away to discuss the spell. They stood in a tight circle, murmuring in low voices.
"Come," Simon said, "Rest at the fire and you can tell me all of it. You too, Your Highness."
I gratefully accepted a cup of something hot and tangy and sat close to the fire to warm my chilled skin.
Lily began to explain her story to Simon, how she first met Lilac here, in this meadow, and how Lilac had proposed a mad plan to switch places so she could go off in search for...
"Hold on," I interjected, "did you say... a... wand of enchantia?"
Lily jerked her head in a nod, "That's why she left, to build one so she could defeat Morgana."
Lilac really was mad. A wand of Enchantia didn't exist, they were just lore, like Phoenixes and griffins and unicorns.
Caspar and Evander came over to the fire, both taking cups of whatever tea Simon had brewed. Yuna stayed out in the field, preparing for the spell. I poured another cup and went over to Yuna.
"May I help?" I offered the cup to her. She took a deep draught of it, then sat the cup next to her on the ground.
"Hold this." She placed something smooth and glowing in my hand. It was a crystal, a red, opaque color, and it pulsed with power. It was almost too big for me to hold comfortably in my hands.
We were silent for a moment as she worked. I watched the fire and my eyes found Caspar, who was speaking with Simon.
"He loves you, you know."
"What?" My face red with embarrassment, I snapped my head back around to Yuna.
She smiled, "It's true." She sighed and took the crystal from my hands, "Caspar has always revealed his emotions by holding them back. It must be hard for him to even be away from you." She turned her eyes to mine, "Caspar and I have lived a hard life. You are the one good thing he has, losing you would kill him."
It would kill me too, but I didn't say anything. I couldn't find anything to say to that.
Yuna stood and drew a large circle in the dirt with the crystal. She dusted her hands, surveyed her work, then nodded, "There, the spell is ready."
We all gathered around the circle, and I watched in curiosity as Yuna mixed something in her tea cup, threw it in the middle of the circle, flicked her fingers. Her concoction blazed to life in green and blue flames.
"For this to work, we must join hands." Yuna explained, extending her hand to Simon. All around the circle, we clasped hands, ending with me taking Yuna's.
My arms tingled as though I had been hit by lightning. Did magic feel like this all the time? Exhilarating and electrifying?
A longing I hadn't felt in a long time washed over me, the longing for magic. When I was younger, I had envied Evander for having magic, but I had long since forgotten the pang of envy.
I stomped it down; now was not the time to deal with my warring emotions.
Yuna, Caspar, and Evander began to chant. The words made my teeth vibrate in my skull and my chest shake.
Light exploded all around us, blinding me so much I had to close my eyes. I could feel a fierce wind all around me, dragging at my clothes and hair.
We were on our way. Whether it was victory or defeat...
I couldn't say.