Gemini|| #Wattys2019

Chapter 12

I stumble backwards slightly, snapping a twig beneath my boot. We watch as Minerva's head whips in our direction. Atlas and I quickly duck behind the underbrush. Minerva catches the eye of two of her lackeys and gestures in our general location. The two large men start tromping over. In a flash, Atlas grabs onto my good wrist and takes off deeper into the woods, towing me along.

"Run after them, morons!" Minerva is shouting at her guys, ordering them after us. Atlas and I pick up speed, dodging each rock, root and rut in our path. The heavy steps follow close behind, trampling the ground beneath their feet. Up ahead I hear the sound of rushing water. That can't be good.

"Don't worry, Princess, I'll save you. And then maybe you give me something in return, aye?" The men taunt me, hurling gross comments at our backs but we don't stop. That is, until we reach the end of the line: a waterfall.

"We've got maybe thirty seconds until they catch us, we have to jump." I shout over the roar of the falls.

"There's no way you'd be able to swim with a broken arm, Aurelia. There's gotta be something else--"

"There's no time!" He looks around frantically, trying to search for any way out; a cave to hide in, a tree to climb. But there's no rock face in sight and all the lowest tree branches are still to high to reach. Not like I'd be able to climb them anyway. I reach up and gently turn his chin to gain his attention. His panicked eyes find mine and seem to calm. I smile up at him.

"It's okay, I trust you to save me if I sink." His normal, stern look returns and he gives a curt nod. I take a deep breath, and step forward off the ledge with one foot, just to be grabbed roughly by an oversized hand.

"I don't think so lady. We were told to save you from this kidnapper here." The man pulls me close and envelops me in his meaty arms to keep me from running. His grip on my fractured elbow makes my vision swirl with pain. I crumple over the man's forearm and I can hear the sharp intake of Atlas' breath.

"Let her go." He says, roughly.

"Yeah, not gonna happen lover boy. Gotta get this one back to her fiancee--"

"I said, 'Let her go'!" Something makes a clicking sound, and then a loud boom and suddenly the man holding me is collapsing on the ground, taking me with him. Atlas runs over and grabs me before I can hit the ground and my vision starts coming back, my head still swimming. "It's ok, i've got you."

"No," I rasp. "Put me down, I can walk, it's faster then having you carry me." He hesitates but then complies and we're back, running off in another direction, slightly slower than the first time due to my impairing migraine.

We lunge through the woods, hearing the scuffles of men all around us. They must have split up to cover more ground. I look over my shoulder to see if anyone's on our tail and when I look back, Atlas abruptly stops in front of me. I stop to see what the hold up is and fins Minerva directly ahead of us.

"Come now, Princess. I'll bring you back to the palace so you can be reunited with Castiel." She puts on a kind smile like I'd seen at the engagement party. Kind, friendly, reassuring. Not some psycho mercenary that she seems to be now. Guess these are her true colors. And I thought Geminis were the two-faced ones.

"I can't do that Minerva, my people need my help—"

"And they can get your help without you galavanting with this criminal." She raises an eyebrow and folds her arms across her chest like she's getting bored of this conversation. "Your father is already putting plans into action."

"Tell my father to stand down." I step in front of Atlas, boldly.

"You can tell him, yourself once I get you back home." She snaps her fingers and one of her goons appears from behind her, then another.