Symphonies in E Minor

Chapter Twenty Six: The Reward

Aaliyah's legs burn as she sprints, thundering through the blizzard to reach the castle.

Her arm moves fast, wiping snow from her eyes as she continues, her hair iced over. The pain in her legs began a long way back, at the beginning of the sprint, and it's only worsened. She must go faster. Time is running out. Time...

Several feet behind her, she hears Ruhina call out, "Aaliyah! Please slow down! I cannot keep up!"

Aaliyah ignores her and continues running, her ankles feeling numb with the ice in her boots, her skin raw and aching from the cold. It feels as if she's receiving several paper cuts at once, and it hurts to breathe, but once she sees the castle in view, there's nothing in her mind except reaching it, and fast.

"Please, Aaliyah. I can't... I can barely see you!"

She didn't tell Ruhina to follow her. But she's glad she's temporarily away from the danger anyways. Even though she's left her husband without a weapon in the cavern.

She thunders her way up the hill. They'd arrived there several days ago in one carriage, with nothing but excitement. Now, dread hits her stomach like rocks, her breathing erratic, tears in her eyes. The guards recognize her and move past to let her in, and she hopes they recognize Ruhina as well.

The warmth hits her body hard as they enter the castle. With nobody in sight but the guards, it's easy to slip into the main hallway where she'd initially led the group to the cavern. She races down it. Her ankle gives out momentarily, causing her to crash to the floor, but she's quickly back on her feet, scrambling to fix her skirts.

To her relief, there's a shadow in the hallway, barely illuminated by the candles. It's a younger boy, who is muttering curses at everyone around him, briskly walking deeper into the darkened parts of the hallway as if to escape the loud party inside the castle.

Aaliyah grabs onto his collar, yanking it back against her. She hears him choke, but pays no mind to it. She can't determine her strength right now.

James whirls around at her, his hand reaching for his dirk. Upon seeing Aaliyah's face, he stops, releasing his hold on his dagger.

"Liya?" He peers at her, suddenly perplexed. "You startled me."

"Go get someone," she orders, a tremble in her voice, barely breathing. Her skin feels sliced. "I...I dinna care who."

"What?"

"Now, James!"

"What are you saying? Why...why do you look like that? Should I get your mother?"

"No! Just... anyone else. Men. Two of them. Hurry!"

"Liya?" He sounds scared, eyes wide. He's just a boy, she realizes. I'm frightening him.

"Go!" She gives him a hard shove. "I canna go myself. They'll be worried. Grab them and come out this very instant."

James gives her a weird look and then takes her in some more. She watches his eyes soak in the blood on the hem of her skirt. He gasps and takes a step back. "Who is hurt?"

"Just go, James. Please. Dinna waste time. Get the men and let's go. We have to hurry. I dinna ken if he's still talking when we return–"

James takes a step back and nods slowly, worry etched into his face. "Aye.... I'll be back."

"Hurry!"

He sprints back into the ballroom, and Aaliyah begins nervously pacing. With fresh anger, she removes her gloves and hurls them against the wall, the material falling pathetically to the floor as Ruhina comes into view.