Chapter 88: Sweet dreams

Elara’s POV

So much emotion rushed through me all at once that I could barely breathe. I couldn’t believe I was actually seeing my brother. The brother I had lost since I was a baby. The first time I had known and seen him was when I was trapped in Genevieve’s body, and now… now I felt this overwhelming wave of happiness and relief that I was back in my real body. We could finally bond. We could finally be family. Tears stung my eyes as I stared at him, my heart aching with a mix of joy and sadness for all the time we had lost.

I wanted to ask how he had ended up here as a hostage. The last thing he had told me when we met was that he was going to be in touch. Our meeting hadn’t been in the sweetest way, but I still appreciated it because I got to know him. The question I had died in my throat. Seeing him was enough. Just being able to look at him, to know he was real, filled a hole in my chest I hadn’t even realized was there.

“We don’t have much time. We need to leave here as soon as possible,” Vincent said, reaching for my hand. His fingers were warm and steady, grounding me in the middle of all this chaos.

Without another word, he led us toward the far end of the prison, past the last occupied cells and into a narrow storage room hidden behind rows of old crates and rusted tools. It looked abandoned, covered in years of dust and cobwebs, but Vincent walked through it as though he had memorized every inch long ago. My heart was racing with a confusing mix of fear and hope. Every shadow felt like it could hide a guard, every sound made me flinch. But Vincent’s hand in mine kept me moving forward.

He stopped before a heavy wooden shelf.

“Wait… is this the place we’re leaving from?” I asked, my voice shaky with doubt. “Raye’s mother said something about the only escape being at the last foor close to Zach's room.”

Vincent glanced at me, his expression softening just a little. “Its so obvious she lied to protect you both. Sometimes people say whatever they think will keep their loved ones safe. But this passage is the right way. We don’t have time to second-guess it now.”

Placing both hands against the hard wood, he shoved. The shelf scraped loudly across the stone floor, revealing a dark pathway beyond. My breath caught. It was really real. I was going to be free. Finally. After everything — the fear, the pain, the loss — this narrow, dusty tunnel felt like the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Tears blurred my vision as a wave of overwhelming relief washed over me.

“Come on… come on…” Vincent urged, his voice low but urgent.

I was so excited, my heart soaring with hope, but before I stepped inside, my mind clicked back to Raye. “Raye,” I whispered, stopping dead in my tracks.

No… no, no.

This was wrong. All wrong. I couldn’t go without her. She deserved freedom too. I couldn’t leave her inside — that would be like backstabbing the only real friend I had made in this nightmare.

“What about Raye?” I asked, turning to Vincent, my voice cracking with emotion.

His jaw tightened, frustration flashing across his face for a moment before he softened again. “I’ll find her.”

“And her mother?”

“I’ll do what I can.”

“What does that mean?” I pressed, my voice rising with panic and hurt. “You can’t just say that. She’s been trapped here together with me. Raye will never forgive me if we leave without them.”

Vincent ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “It means if I stay here arguing with you, none of us gets out. I know this place better than you do. I know where they keep people. I have a better chance of reaching them alone.”

I gave a shaky breathe. "Okay, I trust you."

After I had watched him leave, we left inside finding out what through.

The passage seemed endless.

Cold air drifted through the narrow stone corridor while our footsteps echoed around us. My brother walked beside me, his chains clinking softly with every step. I kept glancing at him, still unable to believe he was really here. The relief I felt was overwhelming, but it was mixed with guilt and fear. I had left Raye behind. I had left her mother. The thought made my stomach twist painfully. What kind of friend was I? What kind of person abandoned the people who had stood by her?

Eventually, a faint silver light appeared ahead from above.

Moonlight.

My heart leaped with a rush of hope so strong it made my eyes sting.

We climbed the final stone steps.

Pushed against the rusted iron hatch.

It groaned open.

Fresh night air rushed into my lungs.

We stumbled out into a dense stretch of trees beyond the mansion walls.

For the first time in what felt like forever…

I could breathe.

The cool night breeze brushed against my face, carrying the scent of pine and freedom. I closed my eyes for a moment, letting the tears fall freely now. We had made it. After everything — the fear, the pain, the loss — we had actually made it out.

Then…

Then something warm stirred beneath my skin, a familiar spark that had been missing for what felt like an eternity. Magic. I could feel my powers returning, flooding back into me like a river breaking through a dam. The powers that had stayed dormant for so long were finally waking up again. A shaky laugh almost escaped me, full of disbelief and overwhelming joy. After everything we had been through, after all the fear and pain, we had actually made it. We were free.

A sharp whistle sliced through the night air.

Before I could even react, something struck the side of my neck with a sudden, stinging pain. I gasped, my fingers flying up to the tiny dart embedded in my skin. Confusion and panic surged through me as the world began to tilt. Beside me, my brother staggered, another dart protruding from his shoulder. His knees buckled beneath him, and I watched in horror as he collapsed to the ground.

My vision blurred almost instantly, the trees swaying wildly around me like they were caught in a storm. The ground tilted beneath my feet, making it impossible to stay upright. A slow clap echoed through the darkness, mocking and deliberate. I forced my heavy eyes upward, fighting against the dizziness that threatened to pull me under.

A familiar figure stepped calmly from between the trees.

Genevieve.

She smiled, her expression cold and satisfied.

My legs finally gave out beneath me.

As darkness swallowed my vision, Genevieve’s voice was the last thing I heard, smooth and triumphant.

“Sweet dreams, Elara.”

Everything went black.