Escape

Chapter 18

I ran around the safehouse hallways like a lunatic for about ten minutes before I finally came to large, brown double doors.

"Looks official enough," I said, hoping that it was the council meeting room. I pushed through the doors, having to use all my weight to get it open. They were freakin heavy. The doors swung open, and my breath hitched in my throat as an incredibly awkward and embarrassing scene unraveled before my eyes.

Wooden floors met wooden walls - basically everything was wooden. A really nice wood, though. Official looking wood.

Speaking of official, Bastien and all his minions sat behind a tall desk-looking thingy. And to make everything even more serious, they were raised on a platform.

A couple guards stood next to the double doors, and others lined the back wall. My eyes immediately found Will, who's attention was trained on me.

Everyone's attention was trained on me.

I felt my face flush and my palms started sweating uncontrollably. I wiped them on my pants, looking from Will to the officials. All had looks of disapproval, which shadowed their rigid features.

Bastien's voice broke the silence. "Ariadne, thank you for joining us. Although I believe I said four o'clock." He pronounced the time slowly, his eyes falling to Marshall, who I noticed was sitting in a chair towards the front of the room.

Marshall looked away, and I immediately felt even more embarrassed than before.

"Ariadne," Bastien said again, "if you would make your way to the front and take a seat beside Marshall."

I gulped, nodding. I walked to the front, feeling everyone's eyes burning into my head. Taking the seat next to Marshall, I craned my neck up to see the head officials.

The woman to the right of Bastien cleared her throat and spoke, "We are here today to discuss the current situation at hand. Ariadne," she said, pausing. Her wrinkled mouth pulled into a tight line as she glared down at me. "You were reported to be missing on Tuesday, August 5th at 6am. On Wednesday, August 6th you were found in Beach Haven, New Jersey. The first dominant protector was found with you, and claims that he was responsible for your removal from the safehouse.

You were both seen in a mortal store. You were found alone at night, and resisted to be taken back to the safehouse. Following this, you were both attacked by Niobids. There were no fatalities, but all actions executed were both hazardous and go against official rules. Do you deny any of this, Ariadne?"

I stared up at her, blank-faced as ever, "Could you repeat that?"

To my left, Marshall exhaled with disapproval. Bastien's face tightened, like he was mentally trying to squeeze my head until it burst. But to my surprise, a quick smile pulled as his gray features. "Oh, our lovely Ariadne," he said, glancing around at the other officials, "a challenge as always."

He stood, the palms of his hands outstretched, "I'm sure you see your mistake. And being that the initial defiance of safehouse and official rules weren't your intentions, I believe any and all reasons why you should be punished shall be put aside."

The official to the left of Bastien humphed in disagreement. "It is not the matter that her intentions weren't present at the time of initial infringement, it is the fact that she was inadequate to contact the safehouse and risked her and many other lives by doing so!"

I stood up slowly, "Uh, if I could just butt in here-"

"Sit down, Ariadne." Marshall snapped towards me in a hushed tone. But his anger seemed to be directed towards the officials, not me. I sat down, tugging awkwardly on my pony tail.