The Dark Trinity

Chapter 12

Amelia slammed the door to her room and leaned against it, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Her pulse roared in her ears as she sank to the cold marble floor, curling her knees to her chest. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to run, but where could she go? The walls of the palace loomed like an iron cage.

She barely noticed the bruises forming on her arms, the stinging pain where Viktor had gripped her.

She let her head fall back against the door and closed her eyes, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I can’t,” she whispered to herself, her voice cracking. “I can’t do this.” 

But the tears didn’t last. They dried as quickly as they came, replaced by a simmering rage that bubbled in her chest. Enough was enough. Malcolm’s games, Viktor’s accusations, the suffocating weight of a life she never asked for—it all had to end. 

Her gaze darted around the room, her mind racing. She needed to leave tonight, now, before the wedding Malcolm had decreed could take place. She threw in anything she could find.

“How do I get out?” she murmured, pacing the room as her mind raced. Every exit would be guarded. The palace was fortified like a fortress, designed to keep enemies out—and, as she was beginning to realize, prisoners in.

Her gaze drifted to the window. The courtyard below was bustling with activity, soldiers patrolling in their gleaming armor. The drop was too far to jump without shattering a leg, and she had no rope to scale down. She turned away, frustration building in her chest.

Then a memory surfaced.

When she and Viktor were children, they had discovered a secret passage in the guards quarters. It was their sanctuary. They would use it to sneak out to the village, running barefoot through the forest.

Her heart clenched at the memory, but she shoved the emotion aside. That passage could still be her way out

The passage was hidden in guard's quarters. It was an old tunnel, built during the reign of Malcolm’s father, used for emergencies to evacuate the palace. The guards rarely spoke of it, and fewer still knew its exact location. But she remembered the vague directions they had taken —just enough to spark a flicker of hope. 

Her heart pounded as she made up her mind. The guards’ quarters were in the western wing of the palace, far from her own chambers. Getting there unnoticed would be dangerous, but it was her only chance. 

Amelia slipped out of her room, her steps light and deliberate. The hallways were dimly lit, the flickering torches casting long, shifting shadows. She kept close to the walls, her ears straining for the sound of approaching footsteps. 

The palace felt like a labyrinth, its twisting corridors disorienting in the low light. But Amelia knew these halls well; she had spent years navigating them as a servant, cleaning and delivering messages. 

As she approached the western wing, the atmosphere grew colder. The guards’ quarters were stark and utilitarian, a sharp contrast to the opulence of the rest of the palace. The faint smell of sweat and leather lingered in the air, mingling with the scent of damp stone. 

Her heart raced as she slipped into the main hall of the quarters. Rows of weapons lined the walls, and the clinking of armor echoed faintly from the rooms beyond. She held her breath, praying none of the guards would emerge. 

She moved quickly, her eyes scanning for the tapestry she had heard them speak of. It was supposed to be tucked away in an alcove, partially hidden behind a rack of shields. Her pulse quickened when she spotted it—a faded piece of fabric depicting the kingdom’s crest, its edges fraying with age. 

Amelia’s fingers trembled as she pulled the tapestry aside, revealing a narrow wooden door. She pressed her ear against it, listening for any sounds from the other side. Hearing nothing, she searched for the latch, her hands fumbling in the darkness. 

The door creaked open, and she slipped inside, her breath catching as she stepped into the hidden passage. The air was cool and damp, the stone walls rough beneath her fingers. The faint smell of moss and earth greeted her, and the sound of dripping water echoed in the distance. 

The passage was narrow, barely wide enough for her to walk through without scraping her shoulders. Her footsteps echoed softly as she moved deeper into the darkness, her senses on high alert. She couldn’t help but think of the stories she had heard about these tunnels—whispers of forgotten prisoners and secret assassinations. 

But she pushed the thoughts aside. She had no choice but to trust the passage would lead her to freedom. 

The tunnel twisted and turned, its uneven floor making her stumble more than once. Her satchel felt heavier with every step, and her legs burned with the effort of pushing forward. But she didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop. 

As she moved deeper into the passage, her thoughts drifted to Viktor. The way he had gripped her in the throne room, his hands rough and unyielding, still made her skin crawl. She had seen the anger in his eyes, the way his jaw tightened when Malcolm had spoken. 

Viktor wasn’t the boy she had once known. He was a soldier now—cold, ruthless, and driven by a thirst for vengeance. And yet, some part of her couldn’t believe he was truly lost. She remembered the boy who had laughed with her, who had held her hand as they ran through the forest.

But that boy was gone. 

The faint glimmer of light ahead pulled her from her thoughts. She quickened her pace, her heart pounding with anticipation. The passage began to slope upward, the air growing fresher with each step. 

When she finally emerged, she found herself in the heart of the forest. The moonlight filtered through the dense canopy of trees, casting an ethereal glow on the ground. The cool night air filled her lungs, and for a moment, she stood still, taking it all in. 

She was outside. Free. 

But her relief was short-lived. The forest was vast and unfamiliar, and she had no idea which direction to go. The village was miles away, and the guards would likely discover her absence soon. 

With one last glance at the palace, its towering spires barely visible through the trees, she turned and disappeared into the shadows of the forest