Chapter 23 CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
ROSALINDA
I was awakened by the loud screams and smell of something thick and acrid filling the air.
Smoke.
Fuck! I jolted up from the cushion to see that my whole tent was on fire, I rushed out only to see chaos that erupted.
Everyone was running wild, smoke and fire filled the air.
What's going on?
I was asleep like an hour ago.
What's happened?
What about the tournament?!
"Your highness!" A familair voice ripped through the air despite the chaos. I turned to see Elina running towards me, her eyes wide and her mouth covered. "We have to lea-" we both screamed as a burning wood crashed down between us, separating us with a wall of flame and sparks.
Before I could process what was happening, she moved around, gave me a cloth to cover my mouth and grabbed my arm. As we both ran towards the cleared path, I looked back to see almost everything in flames. The guards were too busy trying to put down the fire. I halted in my tracks when I saw a young boy struggling to navigate his way through the chaos.
"Your highness!" Elina shrieked, taking my arm once again.
"People will die!" I yelled snatching my arm free. "Let's save the children."
I didn't even wait for her to object before I dashed into the smoke filled area and scooped the young boy in my arms. I took him to the path that was clear and less filled with smoke. A strangled cough escaped my lips as I fell on my knees.
"Your highness," I felt a ting hand wrap around my wrist, I looked up at the boy, nodding my head, signaling that I was fine. As I attempted to get up, I was tackled to the floor once again when some ran past us.
Fucking hell.
How did everything get on fire.
"Let's go." I said as I grabbed the boy's hand running deeper into the path. Once we got to a safe clearing, I urged him to continue the journey along with the adults that were running back towards the palace.
"Princess Rosalinda!"
I turned to see one of my guards running towards me. "It's not easy here. The king and queen are back at the palace. Let's go,"
I shook my head. "We can't, people are still in there- Elina! Elina! I ordered her to save children and-"
As I attempted to run back, the guard held me still. "You can't, your highness. It's not safe and-"
"Too many people have died because of me," I gasped as I inched further from him. "I can't let anymore die." Before he could object. I ran with all my might into the smoke, I covered my mouth as I searched for Elina.
"Elina-" I choked out as the smoke began to fill my lungs, I was pushed aside when someone colidded with me. But neither of us stopped, the person ran foward while I went deeper into the smoke. Everything was dark and it became hard to see and hear anything.
"Elina!" I choked out again, but nothing. All that could be heard was the burning of woods, screams of fear and terror.
Just then, a strong hand wrapped around my arm. A wave of relief washed over me, a brief fleeting hope that it was Zade, Cyrus or one of my guards but what I hadn't expected was a man whose eyes I had ever seen before, his mouth was covered with a cloth.
"Princess Rosalinda. You shouldn't have turned back."
I began to struggle with the man, but he was too strong and too damn fast. He pressed his hand against my mouth, preventing me from screaming for help. He dragged me through the dirt, away from the screaming and the inferno, towards the darker edges of the burning grounds.
I tried to bite him but he wouldn't bulge. My vision became hazy as all I could see was smoke.
"El-" I struggled to scream but he pressed his hand harder against my mouth.
"Looks like I'll have to come to this to shut your freaking mouth up!" I heard him grunt as he stopped, held me tightly and brought out a clothe, just as I attempted to wiggle free from his grasp, he pressed the cloth against my mouth. The smell of something sickly sweet, something cloying filled my nostrils. He grabbed me tigheter this time and continued to drag me along.
Just then, Elina's voice, disoriented by smoke rang through the air. "Princess Rosalinda! Where are you?!"
"Princess Rosalinda!" Another voice chimed in.
But I couldn't scream back, not even whimper. The stranger's hold on me was overwhelming and slowly everything slipped into darkness. The last thing I heard was the roar of the fire.