Chapter 13

Rhea.

I knew going with the vampire was my only option , but for some strange reason, it just didn't feel that way. I hated to admit it, but with each step I took deeper into the little compartment that had popped out of nowhere in Alaric’s room, a small tiny voice in my head just couldn't stop whispering about what would have happened if I had decided to fight my way out without his help

Stop it, Rhea. I muttered underneath my breath. This is the only way out, so deal with it.

I pushed the many thoughts out of my mind as I forced myself to focus on the present. The tunnels seemed to stretch endlessly, and I didn't miss how the damp stone walls pressed in on all sides. Every step echoed too loudly, bouncing back at us as though mocking my attempt at stealth. I hated how close he walked beside me, his presence filling the narrow corridor, and making it impossible to forget who he was. No, what he was.

“You keep glancing at the walls like they’re closing in,” he murmured, voice rich with amusement. “Tell me, little thorn, are you claustrophobic?”

“Don't call me that.” I snapped my head towards him, narrowing my eyes. “I’m not afraid of walls. I'm not afraid of anything.”

“Nothing at all?” You could tell from his voice that he was having a blast from all of this, and if there was anything I didn't want him ti find out, it was the fact that I was basically dying here. “I don't think so.”

“But I know so.” I hissed, rolling my eyes at him. “stop bothering me.’

“Oh?” His smirk deepened, his gaze flicking briefly to the sweat at my temple. “You should be though. These walls have witnessed more screams than you could imagine.”

That did it for me. My palms were getting clammy, and with how much my guts were being thrown around in my stomach, I wouldn't be surprised if I threw up soon

“That's the most pathetic attempt I've ever witnessed. “ I forced my steps to quicken, jaw tight. “If you’re trying to scare me, you’ll have to do better than that.”

“Not trying, just observing.” He chuckled low in his throat, the sound vibrating through the cramped space. “You’re wound tighter than a bowstring.”

“How long do we have before we get out of here?” My subconscious screamed at me at what a bad idea that question was, but it was too late to take anything back. “A couple of minutes?”

“Minutes?” His head tilted to the side as he took me in. His gaze slid down from the top of my head to the sole of my shoe and back again before he whipped. “We should be looking at an hour or two. Minimum.”

“What?” I felt my heart plummet to the ground. “You can't be serious! Right?”

“I'm….”

“Get me out of here!” My voice came out strained as I yelled at him. Anxiety coiled all around me, and as I frantically searched the walls for the quickest way to get out, all I saw were more stone walls inching closer. “Get me out of here.”

“Rhea, relax.’ Alaric's voice reached my ears, but believe me when I said he sounded nothing short of a distant whisper.

Beads of sweat lined my forehead, and I didn't miss the slimy liquid coating the surface of my palms.

“No.” My hair fell around my face like a fucking hazard, and I ran my hand through my strands, not minding how hard I was tugging at them. “Get me out of here. I want out right now. I can't…I can't stay in here for a second…”

“Shush.” My claustrophobia must have already gotten to me because in no time, I found myself being backed into a wall by Alaric. His voice was softer now, and instead of his snarky grin, genuine concern pooled in his stormy dark eyes. “You're safe Rhea. This, it's all in your head. It isn't real.”

“It isn't?” My eyes were wide, and I could see my own fear and paranoid dancing in his orbs. “You're saying….”

“It's not.” He whispered, as her brushed a stray strand of hair from my face. “I want you to take deep breaths. Deep breaths. Come on.”

I did as I was told, and surprisingly, it worked. Whatever anxiety I'd felt didn't take too long to dissipate past the pores in my body. The moment I felt slightly better though, I pushed him off me.

“You're welcome.” He grunted, but the concern in his eyes still lingered and it didn't sit well with me.

I wanted to retort, but the words died as footsteps scraped against stone in front of us. My heart lurched, I faltered, my breath catching in my throat as a shadow stumbled into the tunnel.

It was another guard. His torchlight illuminated the confined corridor, falling on me first, then sliding to Alaric.

The next series of events that followed next weren't things I would be able to forget even if I wanted to. It had been imprinted in the back of my mind, and I struggled to figure out if it was a good thing or not.

The guard’s eyes widened as he confirmed it was me, and my pulse spiked.

Before I could speak, before I could even move, Alaric’s hand shot out, gripping the man’s chin. His voice dropped, smooth and commanding, laced with that dark pull I’d once tried to resist.

“You saw nothing,” he murmured. “You remember nothing.”

The guard’s gaze glazed over, his body going slack. For a moment, the world seemed to come to a still. Then Alaric’s smile curved, sharp as a blade, and he whispered a final order.

“Now… end yourself.”

The guard’s hand trembled as he drew the dagger from his belt. I couldn’t look away, frozen, as he pressed the point against his own chest and drove it inward with a sickening crunch. In a flash, his body crumpled into ash at our feet, the torch rolling from his grip.

“You didn’t have to….” I stumbled back, bile burning my throat. Something burned in my chest, and even though it ranged from self hatred to disbelief, I pushed it aside. “Alaric….”

“Oh, but I did.” Alaric’s eyes gleamed in the flickering light, catching mine with cruel ease. “He would’ve raised the alarm. And I can’t have anyone ruining our little escape, can I?”

My stomach twisted, horror and something else mingling until I couldn’t tell them apart. Without so much as an ounce of regret uh his eyes, he stepped past the gathered dust of his corpse with an unbothered grace, glancing over his shoulder at me.

“Come along, thorn. Unless you’d rather stay here… with him.” he shrugged. “we have a long way to go.”