We Have To Escape

Emilia's POV

I snatched my wrist from him when I felt his fingers relax around me.

I glimpsed a little of the pain that locked behind the icy grey pair before I turned into the crowd. The silver sheen in his eyes darkening to a dulled silver.

As I ran, I glanced back. He remained just where I had left him, his military-style boots pressed hard on the stone floor, his eyes fastened on my running frame.

His brows were wired tight. They almost touched. How could he look so hurt after being so mad and creepy earlier? I couldn't get that smile out of my head—that lingering, creepy smile. It was printed boldly on the walls of my mind.

The crowd gasped and yelled as I forced my way through. “Poor girl,” someone chimed around me. “She doesn't even have the least idea what she has walked into.”

“Yeah. She was probably fooled by his beauty, not knowing he was the very definition of madness,” another chimed…

I pressed my palms to my ears when the murmurs and whispers just wouldn't stop. My heart pounded harder against the thin walls of my chest. God! I need to escape from here. Escape from this damn book world. I needed to find Gabby.

I bumped past the last of the crowd.

“Sorry,” I muttered quietly at a yell behind me.

I resumed my run towards the stairs. I lifted my dress higher and jumped up the stone stairs, two at a time. I stopped as my eyes locked onto a figure ahead. A gasp escaped my lips—Gabby.

She stood at the top of the stairs, her big, chubby body filling up half of the way. Her eyes tightened down on me. Dust churned off her hand as her thick fingers closed tighter on the dusty balustrade. “What, Emilia?” She demanded.

“I am sorry, Gabby. I didn't know what came over me then. It was like some sort of veil covered up my mind—” I said. I lifted up my gown again, running up to her.

“Or you were swooning head over heels for the handsome mad king.” She returned. She took a step back from me when I neared her.

I stopped and made a long, heavy sigh, and I released my grip on the dress. It fell around me. “You know I would never do that, Gabby. I wouldn't put our lives in danger for some man I barely know.” I said, my voice extremely low, echoing the desperation in my heart. I had to get through to her. She was my only friend and my best friend. I cannot do this without her.

She slanted her eyes at me. Then she whipped it back to the stone walls of the stairwell. “But you did, Emilia. You have risked both of our lives now for your handsome Duke.”

I sighed again. I reached for her hand on the balustrade. She snatched it from my reach. I returned my hand back to my side.

“I just told you, Gabby. I had no idea what came over me. I was in the wedding hall already and was kissing him when my senses returned to me.” My voice trailed lower, and I stared around at myself.

Even I could tell that sounded lame. It sounded like a roughly thought-out excuse. But that was what happened. One minute I was on the stairs with the Duke. The next moment, I was in the cathedral, and he was kissing me to seal our marriage.

I touched my lips, a quiet part of me reminiscing the feel of his lips on mine then. I shook my head, staring ahead into the heat on Gabby's face. “It might sound insane, Gabby, but that was what happened. It was as if I was hypnotized, charmed, or something. I can't even explain how I got to the cathedral.”

“I can explain it to you, Emilia.” She returned, peering her head down as if to attack me. “He took your hand and led you down the castle to the cathedral, and you were smiling all the way, like a fool in love.” She leaned back and began walking around the small space on the stair, demonstrating how I left with the Duke.

I shut my eyes. “I didn't do that, Gabby.” I took a step up to her, and she moved further away from me.

“Yes, you did,” she snarled.

We stared at each other for a moment, our lips clasped shut. I sighed, another loud, long sigh that burned its way out of my throat. “Okay, I am sorry, Gabby. I am sorry for damning us both.”

I had no idea what had happened. But if I had to apologize for a crime I had no idea how I committed just to get her back, then I was going to apologize until she came around.

“I am sorry, Gabby,” I repeated. I took a stair up to her. This time, she didn't move. I smiled. I was getting somewhere.

She grumbled a grunt and turned away from me, frowning. She folded her arms over her large chest.

I ran up the stairs fast, and I threw my arms around her before she could drop back from me again. “I am sorry, Gabby.”

She grunted again. It took a moment or two, but eventually, her big arms circled around me too, squeezing me tight to her big body.

“I still haven't forgiven you,” she chided, her voice loud in my ear.

“I know,” I replied, and I snuggled into her body.

“So what now, friend? What do we do now?”

“Now. We escape. And we have to do that immediately,” I said with so much tenacity, Gabby pulled away from me.

“How do we do that?” I said.

I shot her a grin. “I have an idea, girl.” I snatched her chubby wrist, and I dragged her fast up the stone stairs with me.