The Long Lost Tribrid

7. Emily's Escape

Flash back: 1 year ago

Emily's Pov:

I never thought I'd see the light of day again. After months - or was it years? - in that damp, dark cell, freedom seemed like a distant dream. But fate, it seems, had other plans.

It started with a new guard, younger than the others, with kind eyes that betrayed his unease at my treatment. At first, I didn't trust him. I couldn't afford to. But over time, as he snuck me extra food and whispered words of encouragement, I began to hope.

His name was Nick, and he had a sister my age. "I can't imagine her suffering like this," he told me one night, his voice barely audible. "It's not right, what they're doing to you."

I saw my chance then, a flicker of light in the darkness that had become my world. Carefully, over weeks, I shared my story with Nick. I told him about Hope, about the cruelty of our parents, about the impossible choice I had made. And I watched as determination grew in his eyes.

"I'll help you," he finally said, one moonless night. "But it won't be easy. And if we're caught..."

I knew the risks. We both did. But the thought of seeing the sky again, of knowing for certain that Hope was safe - it was worth any price.

The plan was simple, but dangerous. During the changing of the guards, when the castle was at its most chaotic, Nick would create a distraction. In the confusion, I would slip away, using the secret passages I had known since childhood.

As the appointed night approached, I could barely sleep. My heart raced with a mixture of fear and excitement. What if something went wrong? What if I was caught? The consequences would be dire, not just for me, but for Finn as well.

But there was no turning back now. As the first rays of dawn began to creep through the tiny window of my cell, I heard the commotion begin. Shouts echoed through the stone corridors, followed by the clanging of metal and the pounding of feet.

My cell door swung open, and there stood Nick, his face flushed with exertion. "Now," he whispered urgently. "Go!"

I didn't hesitate. My legs, weak from disuse, nearly buckled as I ran. But adrenaline propelled me forward, through winding corridors and hidden doorways. Every shadow seemed to hide a guard, every echo a pursuer.

But luck, or perhaps something more, was on my side. I made it to the outer walls without being spotted. There, concealed behind a crumbling section of stonework, was the tunnel that had allowed Hope to escape so long ago.

As I squeezed through the narrow opening, my thoughts were with Nick. Had he managed to avoid suspicion? Would he be safe? But I couldn't turn back now. I had to trust that he knew the risks, just as I did.

The tunnel seemed endless, a claustrophobic nightmare of darkness and stale air. But finally, finally, I saw a glimmer of light ahead. With the last of my strength, I pushed through the concealed exit and emerged into a world I had almost forgotten.

The forest around me was alive with color and sound. Birds sang in the trees, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of wildflowers. For a moment, I was overwhelmed, sinking to my knees in the soft grass.

But I couldn't linger. Even now, the alarm would be spreading through the castle. I had to put as much distance between myself and my former prison as possible.

I ran, my bare feet slipping on dew-covered leaves, branches whipping at my face. I had no idea where I was going, only that I needed to keep moving. The sun climbed higher in the sky, and still I ran, fueled by fear and the intoxicating taste of freedom.