Mon Étoile

Chapter Ten

Present Day

"He told you about that?" Léo asked, shifting uncomfortably.

I nodded. "I'm sorry about your mother."

Clearing his throat, he asked, "So, that was a year ago?"

"About," I replied. "That week, we began doing more rallies again. At least twice a week in various locations. I spent most of that time writing, editing, and redrafting speeches. I also made an agreement with Hercule that I wouldn't go to any of the rallies in areas with heavy police presence so long as he didn't keep me out of the final fight."

"How long did that take?" Léo chuckled.

"At least three hours," I laughed. "But he eventually agreed." After a pause, I asked, "Can I see him?"

Léo sighed, replying, "I've been meaning to talk to you about that. My father isn't in charge of the situation anymore. The king stepped in. Hercule is scheduled for a public execution in two days."

"T-Then we have to get him out!" I cried, getting to my feet with wide eyes.

"I will get him out," Léo corrected pointedly. "Tonight, but you need to stay here and he's not healed yet so we'll need to help him until the two of you can escape. I'll go for him at midnight tonight." Glancing at the clock, he said, "You should get some sleep. I'll wake you before I go." I nodded and got to my feet. Once in the passageway, I curled up in my blankets and tried to sleep. I lay awake for most of the time but dozed off a few times only to wake up again.

After some restless sleep, Léo appeared and shook me fully awake. Neither of us said anything as he disappeared and I began to pace as I waited. A minute passed. What if he gets caught? Five minutes. Should I hide in the passageway? Ten minutes. What if they kill them both? My pacing intensified as time trickled on. Fifteen minutes. A crushing weight in the pit of my stomach caused me to hold my waist tightly, pacing back and forth. Half an hour.

I withheld a cry of surprise as Léo entered, Hercule slung over his shoulder. My eyes wide, I rushed forward to help him. Once Hercule was on Léo's bed, I sat down next to him and cupped his cheeks, asking, "Are you all right, mon amour?"

"Where am I?" he groaned.

"Léo's room," I explained, brushing his hair out of his face. He groaned.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Letting out a small laugh, I said, "I'm not the one who was beaten up."

"It's just a few broken ribs," he said.

"Did they do anything for them?" I asked. He shook his head slightly.

With a sigh, I said, "Léo, can you get me something to wrap his ribs with?"

"Sure," he replied. Fifteen minutes later, I was unbuttoning his tattered shirt and helping him sit up. I carefully wrapped the material tightly around Hercule's chest. Once I was done, Léo threw his brother a new shirt.

"Thank you for everything, Léo," Hercule said, looking up at his brother. "And here I thought you hated revolutionaries."

Letting out a small laugh, Léo replied, "I neither hate nor love revolutionaries. Honestly, I don't care."

"That's not true," I countered, not looking up from where I was adjusting some pillows for Hercule.

"Mon chéri, you don't have to," he said, stopping me. Rolling my eyes playfully, I smiled and complied.

Sitting down next to Hercule, I turned back to Léo and said, "If you didn't care, you wouldn't have insisted I tell you the entire story."

"Oh yeah, how much have you told him so far?" Hercule asked.