You Have My Heart, Lady Illea (A Lady Illea Novel)

Chapter Twenty Six

"You were amazing!" Esmeralda squealed as she collapsed onto my bed.

Junebug giggled and Alma smiled as she combed my long hair. I could not believe that I won. My competition was pretty fierce, especially with Cecilia, but when the Queen smiled at me in the end I knew I must have done something right.

I must have.

I was still a little down and out about Cecilia still being in the palace but I got over ti quickly. Tomorrow we'd be visiting a children's hospital in honor of my wining and then after that it was off, back home to Carolina where there were pine trees, Christmas lights, and snow.

Christmas wasn't the same without snow.

I took off my charm bracelet and put it into my jewelry box. Esmeralda seemed elated for some reason and Junebug sat on her favorite chair humming sweetly as she sewed. Alma looked at me through the mirror, smiled, and squeezed my shoulders.

"I am so proud of you."

I smiled back.

The abrupt sound of blaring sirens broke up our intimate moments. They were the strange kind of sirens. The sirens I only ever heard...

Once.

I flew out of my seat and rushed out the front door. Everyone looked just as confused as I felt and some maids and servants stopped in the hallway with knitted together eyebrows. The guards snapped to attention and started ushering people into safe rooms.

I shook my head and picked up my night gown as I ran down the hallway. The guards looked unsure as they ushered people wherever they could and I realized they were confused. There was no sign of attack why were the sirens going off?

I approached the first guard I saw that wasn't occupied. "What's going on?" I demanded in a stern tone.

"I'm not sure Lady Alessandra. Please come, it's not safe."

He reached for my arm and I walked away before he could grab hold of me. I could hear people calling out my name but I ran down the hallways trying not to trip over my night gown or robe.

"Alessandra!"

I bumped into Tiny and she looked frazzled.

"Tiny!" I exclaimed. "What's going on?"

She shook her head. "I'm not sure. They think it's an attack from the New Asians but there were no signs. The alarms just started blaring."

I stared behind her and picked up my night gown again. "I need to get to Will."

"You can't!" she gasped. "It might not be safe!"

"I'll be damned." I said.

The sirens were blaring out of control but something was wrong. Some people looked confused, others lost, and some terrified. The sirens just grew louder and louder until some people got to their knees covering their ears. A loud screeching noise nearly popped my ear drums and I bellowed, covering them.

"This is nonsense!" I yelled.

I walked over to the nearest fire alarm, banged my elbow into the glass shattering it, and pulled the handle. The blaring sirens stopped immediately and the sprinklers went on. High pitched squeals sounded through out the entire palace and I was soaked withing a matter of seconds.

I needed Will.

Now.

***