THE HUNTMAN

Chapter 22 : April

Ruby knows the castle by heart, that's a non-negotiable advantage, she made me disappear by passing through a mirror. We arrive in a corridor, portraits are hung on the walls and the lamp on the ceiling barely illuminates the paintings to avoid damaging them.

When my eyes met Hannah's, my heart almost gave out. I cross my fingers that she doesn't pay attention to it, she who loves her brother so much would be ready to give her life to see only a glimmer of love in his eyes. Ruby pulls on my arm and corners me into a broom closet as dark as its owner's heart.

Blake expected opposition to the wedding, so he hired his men to eliminate those who wanted to interrupt it. He must have known I was going to run, otherwise why did he make me put on pants? He wants to chase me, see me fleeing from him and I offer it to him on a silver platter. I won't let him catch me, I'll happily watch him perish. He's going to go back to the bottom of the ladder.

" There is a box on the shelf, open it, there is a sharp dagger inside, take it, princess."

" You're funny, I don't see anything in that."

" Raise your arms."

" I'm as tall as three cocks on my knees, darling." I mutter, grabbing a dagger that's light enough but long enough to pierce a body. "I run my finger over the blade, cutting my knuckles."

" You're at least ten centimeters taller than me, April. Stop your nonsense, grab the dagger, so we can move on before I give birth to my mini-hunter."

I step out of the room, press my lips to his, then examine the noises around me. Death has given me better hearing, there are at least two people within fifty meters, two men with heavy steps and with their keys in their fingers. They play with it and whistle. They are far from being focused, their attention can be diverted. I need a crow and for that, I need the other me to take over.

Let me out, I'll disappear when you're not in danger of imminent death. Take a deep breath.

I suck all the air out of the room.

***

The crows rush into the windows, I put myself in attack position, Ruby takes us through a good part of the castle and pushes a door. I hide against the doorframe and bring the maid with me before she suffers the fury of the hunter's little sister.

The redhead gets out of her bed, the slats creak, she tries to be discreet so the floor emits twice as much noise as usual. I signal the brunette to step back while I busy myself with following my impulses, no matter how murderous they may be. But she is determined to get me out of there with her, she could run away and leave this place in peace, but she refuses. I have trouble understanding people, those who act from their heart. I know that sometimes we connect the heart with reason but this remains rare.

"You're going to get killed."

" You too and my brother would like me to explain the scene to him if it happens."

She encourages me to stab her, she is so adorable that she stabs me through my eyes. Sleeping with her is nice, kissing her is nice, but fighting with her while she has a baby in her stomach is no. I roll my eyes and place my hand on his son who hits my hand. We love this little guy, he loves us too.

" I want a baby, I will tear yours out of your belly to keep it. I don't want to scare you, it's just a violent desire to have a baby without having to carry it."

"You will never bear children, you dirty whore." Hannah screams, stabbing her knife into the wall.

I managed to avoid her knife, I retaliate with a kick and a headbutt, she falls to the ground and I corner Ruby in a corner when the redhead comes to pull my hair and makes me walk backwards down the corridor. She bumps into a piece of furniture, drops my hair and elbows herself in the nose. Blood pools in her hair as she kicks me in the ribs, the fluid in my veins boiling, heating and contracting my muscles. I hit him back and get hit in the face with my own dagger. She opens a drawer, laughing and gilding a kitchen knife that she swings left and right in the air, she touches me and it hurts. Like a paper cut but on the forearm.