Chapter 68 Knight in Shining Armor
\[Lilia\]
We need to get out of here.
We need to find a way to escape this place and save ourselves. Or at least, I’ll have to free Aya.
I very much doubt that Kael would make the effort to track us down, and whatever of the dispute that he may or may not have had with Flavio, we should not be dragged into the midst of it. For goodness’ sake, we didn’t even know that they were old acquaintances.
“Aya,” I whispered, afraid that if I call her aloud, Flavio would hear us. It has been a while since he left us astounded, and I have never imagined that this beautiful day would become this catastrophic.
“Lilia,” she replied in a hushed tone, seemingly sharing my inhibitions about getting heard.
“We need to get out of here,” I said, cocking my head to the side and in hopes that she could see me even though I couldn’t.
“What? How?” Aya half-yelled, half-whispered in befuddlement in response to my statement. I completely understand her dubiety and I can’t fault myself for having this kind of feelings, knowing exactly the extent of our predicament. Though I refused to give in and look around the basement, searching for an exit, and then noticed something.
“The window is not grilled,” I pointed out, a ray of hope just came washing over me when I also took notice that the latch wasn’t locked. However, a gloomy thought entered my mind. I am terrible when it comes to planning out an escape. It has been proven thrice already and I am quite hesitant with that notion and fear that it would only bring us further trouble. But, we cannot simply stay here and we have to do something.
“Lilia, I can’t even move,” Aya groused behind me. I could feel her tugging the constraints and the legs on her chair scraping off the floor as she began jerking her body. I tried doing the same, tugging and pulling these ropes, but instead of making any progress, it only seemed to have worsened.
“We can’t just stay here. Kael might even have left us here to die,” I groaned out in frustration and stop wriggling against the rope. That man. I am aware that I am partially to blame for how we found ourselves in this situation, but I do not believe that it was entirely my responsibility. If Kael hadn't pushed me to the brink of madness, I never would have considered doing something like this. If only he hadn't been sending me such contradictory messages and allowing me to feel something that was only partially accurate. If he had not messed with my feelings and the like, this incident never would have occurred.
Just too bad I had dragged Aya along with this foolishness, and I am feeling very sorry for her. This is supposed to be her day. For the first time in a long time, she had the chance to enjoy herself without being a servant. To have a day off and do everything she wanted. I ruined it for her. I did a terrible mistake. I shouldn’t have gone with her in the first place and remained at the villa.
I hate being this helpless, and this time I refused to be one.
“I don’t want to die,” Aya began to sob, her voice breaking down with tremors. I wanted to hug her, or at least comfort her, but even I was struggling with my own constraints.
I sniffed sharply, refusing to succumb to my fears.
“Neither am I. We will get out of here, I'll make sure of that, Aya,” I griped with such conviction lacing my voice.
I don't know since I become such an optimist, but I am positive that, not too soon we’ll get out here alive. I just hope that I wasn't wrong.
My eyes busied for a moment, moving my gaze along with the nook and cranny, searching for anything that could help me get free from these constraints. I was also examining every vantage point to determine whether or not there are any surveillance cameras set nearby to keep an eye on us. I hadn't seen one, but that is not certain.
They could have put it anywhere less suspect, and surely, they will not just leave us here to ourselves without keeping an eye closer in case we are concocting up something.
I was in my deep thoughts, rerunning the things that happened within a day inside my head and lamented how it turned out.
Dread, fear, and anger are all mixed up inside me, and I don't know how long I'll be able to contain them before I burst it all out. I am angry not only with Kael and Flavio but with myself as well. I am too selfish to let Aya involved with my antics, and now she's here with me inside the basement.
If only...
“Lilia, just so you know, I did enjoy this day. Despite with everything that had transpired.”
I stiffened just as I heard Aya speak so softly. Her voice was void of any resentment, and the fear coating her tone seemed to have been gone.
A sharp pain of guilt strikes on my chest, threatening to severe the turmoil of emotions that I have been holding.
I let out a shaky breath, swallowing my dread, and responded, letting go of all of my sentiments as a single tear slid past my lids.
“Aya, I am sorry. I am so so sorry. I did this, I ruined your day.”
I let my head hang low, and my shoulders shook as a loud sob broke through me. I am trying to be strong, to show Flavio that I am not just like any dainty woman that knows nothing but cry.
But the truth is I am scared.
“No, it was an adventure for me. I also know what you did. You don't really have to do it.”
She knows about the deal? But why didn't she say anything about it?
Nonetheless, that doesn't matter, I don't regret anything and I would do it over and again if it makes her happy, but the thing is, I ruined it as well.
“You deserve to be happy Aya, even though it is only for a day,” I said, sniffing the most out of my nose and blinking rapidly to chase all the tears.
“I know, your intention is good. You don't have to blame yourself.”
I took another deep breath, ignoring the pain in my chest, and lifted my head. “Thank you for telling me this. I will still bear the consequences and admonish myself for it, but thank you.”
Right after I said those things, I was expecting Aya’s response. However, a loud gunshot reverberated just right outside the door, and suddenly it flung open with a loud slamming.
Flavio stood right in the entrance with a wide grin on his face and a long gun slung across his shoulders.
I immediately cleared out my face with all the sullenly. Squaring my shoulders and lifted my chin high.
“He’s here,” he announced, walking closer to me and holding the gun, pointing the nuzzle directly to my head, yet I refused to give him the satisfaction of letting him see the fear in my eyes.
“Kael?” I asked the question with some trepidation, but also some relief.
“Your knight in shining armor.”