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“Why would they help me and not you? Surely you could have accomplished this long ago if it was such a certain thing?”
“I am not of the blood. I’m not only not a direct descendant, but my father was born from grandmother’s first marriage. For all the good I would wish to do, I am not a symbol that the people will rally around and risk their lives for.”
“I do not want anyone risking their lives for me,” Arie said. “I just want to return to my mates.”
Maddi’s face tightened. “You cannot so casually dismiss the needs of the many when you are in position to do great good, cousin.”
“No, of course not, but to ask them to stand against the Order and risk death… It is not right, Maddi.”
Her cousin sighed softly. “What people suffer every day is not right. I want to make this world better. Our people are dying. We have less children born every year, and women are starving on the streets. How do we counter this when the Order and the system as it currently exists binds our hands? Not everyone is so fortunate to find what you did, and those of us who would try would be punished far more severely than you’ve been.”
“Do you think being forced into marriage and the threat of the murder of my child is not severe?” Arie demanded.
Maddi’s face softened. “Of course it is, cousin. I do not mean to make light of your situation, but in many cases if a woman did not find a benefactor or had family to take her in, one found cavorting with Ragoru would be put to death.”
Arie’s chest tightened as she recalled the words of Huntsman Merik. At the time, she’d thought he was just unhinged, or perhaps wanted to scare her, but at Maddi’s words her perspective changed. She could easily have died, murdered in the cave or after facing sentence from the village. The huntsmen would have killed her without hesitation if it hadn’t been for the matter of her lineage.
Even if it meant nothing to Arie, it meant something to the people. It was all that stood between her and death.
“I do not tell you this to frighten you, cousin.”
“But you are right,” Arie replied. “I am being self-serving when my particular position is the only thing that keeps me from joining the fate of other women who would have dared to love as I have or dared at all to break free from the Order.”
“Those who dare are outlaws,” Maddi said. A steely look of determination filled her cherubic face. “I must get word to them. If anyone can help us, they will,” she muttered as she turned away and gathered up her cloak around her.
“Maddi, wait. They are criminals. You don’t know what they will do to you!”
Her cousin gave her a sad look. “No less than what the guard might do if they catch me.”
“What? No! We will think of another way… if you are caught…”
Her cousin leaned forward and pressed her lips against Arie’s cheek. “Relax. I know someone on the inside. He’s an idiot,” she added with a grimace, “but I really think he will help, and I doubt he will let me be caught despite all of his posturing. But I promise that I will be careful, too. This is just important to do now while we can. Chances are I won’t be able to go home again after this, but with your joining ceremony tomorrow I will do everything I can to get you out of here.” Maddi pulled up the hood on her cloak as she stepped away from the settee.
Arie watched her cousin leave, and her hands, concealed within the folds of her skirt, tightened into fists. Maddi was right; there was more at stake here than just Arie’s upcoming nuptial. For days, all Arie had been doing was skulking around the manor, looking for any possible way to slip off and escape, never giving any thought to the people of the Citadel, or even to her own cousin, much to her shame. That was ending now.
She would find a way out of the house, and she would help her cousin. It could no longer just be about her escape.
Grandmother wanted her to stand as a symbol to bring the people together? Well, she would do just that, but not in favor of Lady Vera’s plans or those of the Order. The Order of Huntsmen was coming down. She would not be able to live with herself otherwise, and if she helped even in a small way by being a rallying point for the people in the citadel, she would do everything in her power to accomplish it.
All through the day she nurtured that spark of rebellion within her, reminding herself that not even the village had been successful in defeating her. When night fell, she threw on her dark knit cape, pulling the hood low over her face. She could feel the fabric catch on the stubble of what remained of her hair but ignored it. She glanced at the door before proceeding to the window. The guards would be half-asleep at their posts at that late of an hour, but Arie wasn’t going to chance trying to slip by them. So that just left her window. It seemed like a long shot, and a foolish one at that, but she was running out of options and had to try something even if it was attempting to descend through her window into the gardens below.
Tying together every bed sheet that she could find; she made a long rope that she tied off around the metal radiator. She’d turned it off hours ago, and though the room was now chilly, the radiator was safe to touch. She slid open the heavy window with a groan and threw out the length of knotted material. Even in the low light, she could tell it didn’t quite reach the ground, but she wagered it was close enough.
With a muttered prayer, she hoisted one leg over the windowsill, her fingers clenching tight around her makeshift rope. It wasn’t until her other leg was out and she was dangling precariously that she was attacked by a wave of panic. Swallowing, she braced her feet against the wall and slowly began to inch her way down.
When she came to the last foot of fabric, she looked down nervously at the drop below her. It had to be at least six feet. She willed her fingers to let go, but they seemed to have a mind of their own as they tightened with instinctive self-preservation. Arie cursed as she dangled in the air, swaying from side to side. She looked around, trying to work out a safe way to get down, when a tearing sound drew her attention. She scrambled, attempting to swing closer to the wall to get any kind of finger hold, but her rope went slack with a loud rip, sending Arie hurtling to the ground.
She crashed into the bushes below, the tiny branches scraping her skin raw as they broke her fall. Every movement caused more damage from them, but she didn’t let that stop her. Wincing, she bit her lip to muffle her whimpers of pain as she crawled out of the bushes and pushed herself to her feet. She didn’t bother to brush off the loose dirt and bits of leaves clinging to her as she took a furtive look around. The garden was dark, illuminated only by the weak moonlight above. Not too far away, a guard leaned against a decorative pillar. She saw a flash of light as from a match strike as he brought it close to his face, lighting what she guessed had to be a tightly rolled cigarette. He stood slightly in profile, his back mostly turned toward her, increasing her odds of escape.
She skirted around the perimeter and crouched by the side of the building, keeping watch on the guard who’d begun pacing the length of the property gate where he was posted. Arie hunkered down low beside a marble statue, her eyes narrowing on her target. If she crept close enough without being detected, she might be able to bring a rock down on the back of his head and…. she blinked as she realized that the guard had disappeared from sight and had not yet returned.
Where could he have disappeared to?
“Stand up and keep your hands where I can see them,” a man growled at her from the shadows at her right.
Cursing her lack of luck, Arie stood with her hands upraised and held out from her sides. She was so close to her freedom. She couldn’t just give up now. Standing stiffly in place, she waited until she felt someone step up behind her and reacted, fueled by desperation. She threw her head back and heard the sickening crunch from where her skull collided with the guard’s nose. He roared in pain, his hands dropping away to clutch his nose. She did not so much as spare the guard a glance. Pulling her skirts up in one hand, she dashed for the gate.
She panted, excitement rising in her belly as she neared the open gate. She was nearly there! Her feet passed over the edge of the property line just as a large guard came into sight. He stepped around the corner on the other side of the wall, lifting his rifle high as he swung it into her face. Color exploded behind her eyes before she plummeted into darkness.
