Lucky Charm (Reverse Fairytales Book 2)(69)

I didn’t have long to wait. I felt the carriage begin to slow down and finally stop beside an old farmhouse.

As soon as the door opened, I was ready. I pulled my arm back, and with as much force as I could muster, punched my kidnapper square in the nose. He fell back, hitting the ground hard. Maybe, just maybe, I’d be able to escape, but as I looked up, I could see more members of the MDS begin to pour out of the farmhouse. I jumped down, ready to kick the driver. I might not be able to escape, but I wasn’t going down without a fight.

I looked down at his face. Blood poured from his nose where I’d punched him. He sat up and gave me a crooked grin.

“Hi, my Lucky Charm.”

It was Cynder.





After


Behind me, I could hear a fight. I looked over to see Leo punching the driver of the second carriage while Elise, Mother, and Daniel looked on.

“What are you doing?” I hissed at Cynder.

My mind whirled with both emotion and shattered thoughts.

“He’s The Regent!” shouted Leo, laying a final blow to his opponent and knocking him out completely.

It was no good, though. The people who had filed out of the farmhouse descended on him. There were too many of them, and despite us all putting up a fight, we were all led into the house. I was dismayed to see that Daniel joined them. He was in on this all along.

It was huge, with a large sitting room, big enough to cram us all in. On the outside, it looked deserted, but inside, it was decorated in a modern fashion.

Knowing that we were outnumbered, we all sat quietly on the sofa as the thirty or so members of the MDS stood around us.

“You lied about everything!” I screamed at Cynder. “There never was any Freedom of Magic was there? It was fabricated to throw us off the scent. How could you do this? Elise is pregnant!”

I put my arm around my sobbing sister. “I’m ok, I feel the baby kicking,” she whispered between sobs.

“And you, Daniel,” I yelled. “I trusted you. I trusted both of you!”

“It’s not what you think,” said Cynder.

“I don’t care what it is. Luca will find me. He’s been working with the palace guards, recruiting so many of them we almost have an army. They’ll find us.”

“They won’t, but that’s not the point,” replied Cynder. “I’m not The Regent.”

“I don’t even care anymore if you are him or just one of his servants. More the fool, you!”

“Charm, listen to me. Please!”

“Don’t you dare call me Charm. I’m not your Lucky Charm. I’m Queen Charmaine!”

“Will someone switch on the TV, please?”

“The TV?” I asked astonished. “You want us all to watch a movie. Great, let’s have popcorn!” I was being sarcastic, but I couldn’t help myself. I was unbelievably angry. If I wasn’t surrounded by so many people, I would have punched Cynder again.

“I want you to know the truth.”

The TV turned on. There I was coming out of the cathedral with Luca, smiling for the cameras. Below me, were the words ‘recap of today’s events.’ Seconds later, I watched as I toppled over in the carriage when Cynder spurred the horses on. I saw the shocked look of Luca as he tried to chase us but was stopped by the second carriage cutting off his path. Behind him, I could make out Dean chasing behind him. Poor Dean. He was supposed to be my driver. I wondered if Cynder had hurt him to get his place on the carriage.

With folded arms, I glared at Cynder.

“Keep watching!” he said, without even looking my way.

The crowds descended into a panic as our carriages ploughed through them. It was a miracle no one was hurt. I gripped Elise’s hand tightly, my eyes fixed on the screen.

Luca hailed another carriage and with a few of the guards, got in. He followed our carriages rather than heading to the palace on the official route. Somehow, the crowds had closed in, not letting him pass. At least, he’d tried to rescue me. Eventually, the carriage cut through the crowd. He was behind us. We’d gotten a bit of a head start, but he would catch up with us.

“He’ll find us!” I said. “We only had a ten-minute head start.”

“He wasn’t following us,” replied Cynder.

Back on the screen, Marybelle rushed to the camera and began to talk, recapping for everyone what the scene looked like from her point of view, A totally pointless endeavor, as we could all see the confusion around her. As she was talking, there was a huge bang followed by even more screams.

Marybelle faltered and then looked out to something behind the camera. Raising her hand, she gently pushed the camera so it showed the thing she had seen. In the distance, a plume of smoke filled the air. Even at the distance from the cathedral, I could see where it had come from. The palace had gone up in flames.

The picture cut to an anchorman. Behind him, was a live feed of the palace. It was completely consumed in flames.

“Those were the scenes four hours ago at the cathedral. Back at the palace, fire-fighters have been working tirelessly since then to get the blaze under control, but sources say the palace has been completely gutted by the flames. A number of explosions were heard which suggested more than one bomb, although the fire sergeant has yet to confirm this.

“A number of palace staff are still unaccounted for, and there is no word yet on the whereabouts of the queen and the rest of the royal family.