Liridia

Chapter 35: The final act

Liridia
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Aldwin lead the way, turning this way and that, watching for guards then turning around to avoid them.

As we turned the final corner, Aldwin bumped into another guard, and shoved us behind him. My breath quickened, and Deidre nearly jumped at the chance to defend her brother, but I caught her hand and shook my head.

"Oh, gods. It's just you, mate. Wait, you're not meant-" He started, grabbing for his sword.

I backed up against the wall, shadows enveloping me, and I shuffled swiftly behind the guard and covered his mouth and nose with my hands, his muffled cries dying down after a minute.

I dragged him down the hallway we came from and blew out the candles lining the wall, hiding him in darkness.

There was stairs leading to the surface, and they seemed to never end. I wanted to faint.

Aldwin signed with quick hands that it was the stairs merchants used to drop off food and material, and I signed back that I was surprised that he knew Hands. He smiled in reply.

We began our ascent to the surface and my legs wanted to drop off when I saw the door.

The door leading to the place in Hywel's mind. Where I fought mother. And won.

The air flew from my lungs and I stopped in place. I could feel the pull of the magic, yearning for me to enter. Lusting, needing, calling. I grit my teeth and ball my fists as the world changes from gold to dark in flashes of light.

"Liridia. Liridia?" Aldwin asked, grabbing my shoulders and shaking gently.

I snapped back to reality and felt the warmth of the magic emanating from that room curl itself around me, whispering and seducing.

I pushed my way to the top of the stairs two at a time and tried not to moan with pain. I pushed the trap door open and stumbled out, turning back to offer a hand to Aldwin and Deidre.

"The gates are open for a delivery of food to the castle and the town. You have a few moments to sneak out after the second carriage passes. Run, and don't look back." I order Aldwin, who's eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"I thought you were coming. What changed your mind?" He asked, shaking his head on objection.

"My mind has not changed. I have a life to live, and so do you. Now go. The first is arriving at the gates now." I usher them towards the doors of the shed.

Aldwin nodded in understanding and linked hands with Deidre. I leant forward and placed a kiss upon his brow, and embraced him with farewell. He smelt of steel and hope. It was a good smell.

I watched as they weaved through the crowd and snuck under the scaffold of the watchtower and out the gates, into the world beyond and until their shapes were snuffed out by the shadows. They were free.

I stood beside the scaffolding and waited. He would come. We would go. Together. I wrung my hands and chewed my lip. He would come.

Together.

I grinned so widely my face hurt when I saw the glint of his waistcoat, then the colour of the moon against his hair. His face was somber, and my smile faltered.

Why does he look like that?

I saw the coldness of his eyes when my smile vanished, and my eyebrows knitted in bewilderment when I saw the small legion of guards behind him, their swords and bows gleaming in the moonlight.

What is he doing?

"Hywel...?" I whispered hopefully, and his blank, cold stare made a tear fall from my eyes.