Mine to Fear (Mine #3)(20)
“Jack, check the hall.” Annabelle's command surprises me.
I keep my hands raised at him as he moves toward me, but let him pass, taking the opportunity to get closer to Annabelle and Tawny, who is remaining sensibly quiet. Though insensibly hasn't tried to help me threaten Jack yet.
Jack turns his back to me, and I almost hex him, but Annabelle knocks my hands to the side. I glare at her. “I'm trying to keep you safe.”
“So is he.”
“Two, of them,” Jack says. “I gave them an extra sleep spell, but there's no telling how long it will last.”
Annabelle moves without hesitation, but instead of toward the hall like I expect, to a wardrobe.
“We don't have time to grab anything.” Even the bags I so carefully packed for Tawny and me are still on the floor of our room. Drat my not grabbing them.
She pulls open the wardrobe and slips the back panel off to reveal a hidden path. “There's already some packs ready.”
They already have a plan in place for something such as this? I should have known. “What about him?” I motion to Jack.
“I'm coming with you.”
“I think not.”
“He's coming,” Annabelle says. “Don't you dare hex him.”
Why is this woman so attached to him? He's rude. “He'll turn us in.”
There's a shuffling out in the hall. Not close, but not far enough away either.
“There's no time to argue. Everyone get in, and I'll close it behind us.” Annabelle scampers inside, waiting just inside the passage.
She can't really be letting him come with us.
Jack closes the door to her room and stacks some chairs against it while Tawny darts into the passage to where I can no longer see her. He moves toward the passage as well, and I let him. I guess Jack is coming with us. Doesn't mean I'm not ready to drop him a hex at a moment's notice, though.
I hurry in after them, and Annabelle puts the panel back on the wardrobe.
“Do you want any sort of spell on it?” I ask.
“No. It would probably just draw their attention here more.”
True. She's clearly thought about this escape a lot more than I have.
We hurry down the tunnel, attempting to keep our steps quiet, which isn't an easy feat at such a rapid pace in the dark on a rock path.
There's a muffled bang behind us, followed by several more. They must be breaking into Annabelle's room. My heart clenches. Now's not the time for losing it. I have to keep them safe. I have to. We can't go to all this trouble only to be caught.
It's hard to focus on my steps, to think of where we're going, when at any moment they could discover the secret passage. The noise behind us, while still muffled, grows louder. We move faster, using the noise to cover our own. My nerves feel as if they're trying to jump out of me.
We come to a set of stairs that Annabelle warns us of. It's hard to use them in the dark, but once we've gone down a ways, Annabelle stops and lights a torch. The tunnel is made of dirt, stone steps beneath our feet and wooden beams above our heads. We continue to wind our way down them, the noise fading with every step. I want to think we're out of danger, that we've made it, but we're still in the same house as them. There's far to go.
A few tunnels branch off the main corridor, but Annabelle continues down the main path, twisting, turning, and descending. Soon the walls have roots growing out of them. It grows cool, the crisp air a welcome contrast to my hot skin.
Annabelle looks back every so often to make certain we're all still following, but otherwise, we press on through what must be an underground passage. The fact that there's been passages off of the main tunnel makes me more confident we won't be found. That we might just make it.
The passage comes to a room with several packs in it, blankets, and a ladder leading up.
“Everyone grab a pack. We should be hidden by the forest out here, but we will check to make certain it's clear before coming out.”
“I'll peek,” I volunteer.
“Let me,” Jack says, but I'm already climbing the ladder.
I'm sure he would, and then declare our presence to the enemy if the opportunity presents itself. He's a Chardonian warlock. What else would he possibly want to do? So while staying quiet and careful, I hurry to open the door on the roof. I crack it open, just a pinch. There's nothing in sight but trees and a squirrel.
“I think we're clear. Let me check for certain. If I don't return within ten minutes, stay here and be prepared for anything.”
With the borrowed pack on my back, I check one final time before escaping out into the world. I glance around at the cleverly hidden trap door and make note of what it looks like so I can find it again.
I creep as quietly as I can. Mom and Dad didn't teach us stealth for nothing. The immediate area is clear of anyone except me, but I don't trust it. There's nothing but trees in sight. We must be in the forest near the house, though it isn't in sight.
The woods are so quiet. I slink around it. Maybe none of the warlocks from the house suspect us to be out here yet. And they wouldn't realize we'd make a break for it, so they didn't set up guards outside the perimeter. Or if they did, they'd still be looking for us at the house.
I suppose it's possible, but it doesn't fit with what I know of the Grand Chancellor. Especially with such changes like those he just made. And with Zad— I can't allow my thoughts any further down that path. Now is not the time to lose it.