Book I: Near Death Experience (18+) ✔️

38.

Rushling and hushed strained whispers were what my body woke to, sore and tired. I rose from the bed in the candle-lit room, seeing Knox and Xander beginning to get dressed quickly. Rubbing my eyes I whispered, "What is going on?"

"Adelaide, stay here. Do not leave the chambers. Do you understand me?", Knox ordered quickly as he dressed.

"Wait-What is-", I stutter out confused as fear began to rise in my heart but my words were cut off as Knox yelled at me, "Do you understand?!"

"Yes! Yes I understand", I scream back as I hold the blankets close to my naked frame as I look back between my beloveds. Xander shook his head as he looked at me pressing a strained smile. "Stay. I'm sure it's fine", he muttered to me before nodding.

And they were gone just like that. At that moment, I was afraid. Blantenly and utterly afraid of what was happening inside the estate, by my cause. Quickly, throwing on a robe across my sore body, I rose and shut my eyes. I tried to focus, to call out to them in my mind.

"Knox? Xander?"

I waited for what seemed like hours but were mere seconds until I felt a pressure in my head, Knox entering my mind. And that's when I felt the one emotion I never wanted to feel from them. Fear.

"Barracide the door, do not come out Addy. I'll come fo-", the connection was cut as silencing rang like tinnitus through my ears.

"Xander?!", I called frantically into the void of my mind before calling out to Knox as well.

"Hello?!", I shout.

Nothing.

The cold room surrounded me, closing in as if suffocating me. I began to run piling things in front of the door that led to the hallway, my heart beating a million miles a minute as I pushed the dresser with all my strength. I could hear screams and cries from people from below me and I quickly recognized one of them; Nora. Tears broke from my eyes as my shaking hand pressed against my mouth to silence my sob.

Please, God, don't hurt them.

My mind swirled as I slowly stepped back from the door, my knees buckling with each step but I refused to let myself fall. I needed to pull myself together and think, I needed to survive this. My eyes flicked over to my closet, remembering what I had hidden in the case. I look back to the door before slowly sliding my feet across the wooden floor, trying to keep my weight evenly distributed. My eyes never left the door as sweat dripped down my back, I had finally made it to my closet.

Okay, okay...

Breathe Adelaide, just focus. I can do this.

My shaking hands brought up the knife I had hidden, hesitating as I listened to the eerie quietness now in the estate. In one part of my mind, it tried to tell me that it was over. But I knew better than that. Whatever is in the palace will smell my blood once I do this, which only struck more fear into my heart as I realized both options could lead to my death.

They knew I was here, it was only a matter of time until they found me.

And if they got to me, maybe they would leave everyone else alone. Maybe I could stop them before...before anyone else is hurt. I could only hope that I was strong enough to take on whatever was behind that door, lurking in the corridors. What happened to Knox and Xander? I couldn't feel them in my mind anymore, and that was the scariest thing of all. The emptiness in my head, the silence...

Please god, no.

Tears pooled in my eyes as I slid back over to the middle of the room, knife in hand. Breathe in...I could do this. Breathe out...I will do this.