Chapter 12

ARDEN had left in the morning, and Aiden had been pushing me beyond my limits with his training, both mental and physical. I hadn't been able to use the Forest yet — I'd given up on that — but even I could see my improvement with a sword.

We were eating dinner when someone banged on the door hard, the knocks shaking the wood walls.

Birch leaped out of his seat, running to the door. He pulled it open, revealing a man, his sword out.

"The Queen! She's attacking! There're too many of them, we have to evacuate!"

There was an instant flurry of movement and noise.

Meadow shrieked. Aiden dropped all his daggers, picked them up and shoved them in his belts, the blades scratching against each other. The man ran away. Birch turned to us, already unsheathing the sword at his hip. "You all know what to do. Grove, Meadow, come with me. Princess, you go with Aiden. Go!"

Grove scooped Meadow up in her arms and ran out the door with Birch. Aiden ran into the room, his feet thudding back as he ran back in, holding a long sword, a pack and boots.

I stood there immobile.

He thrust the sword at me and yanked the boots on. My fingers shook at the hilt. "What are you doing?" He said, looking at me. "Come on!" He grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the fireplace.

He dug into the bricks there, and I saw what hadn't been before. There was a tunnel, deep and dark, leading away from the house. It would be invisible to anyone who didn't know it was there.

"Go!" I scrambled inside, the rough dirt digging into my nails. He crawled in behind me and gestured frantically. We had barely moved when Aiden put a hand on my arm.

I stopped, turning back. It was so dark I could barely see what was happening. But Aiden was piling up rocks — where had he gotten them? They formed a wall, and I understood. He was blocking the way for anyone following us.

I found my voice.

"What's going on?"

"Shh! Just move," he said, and I continued crawling. I couldn't see anything now, anything at all. The floor sloped downwards as the tunnel leveled out, soon large enough for us to walk.

I felt sick to my stomach. She'd come for me. I'd endangered all these innocent people.

And it was dark —as dark as the dungeons sometimes got on winter nights, when the light from the candles had blown out, and the silence was haunting.

I wasn't alone here, but with Aiden's silence I might as well have been.

"Where are we going?"

His voice came deep from behind me. "Somewhere safe."

"Where?" I pressed.

"Another rebel camp."

I sighed. "Why are you so angry at me?"

"Angry? I'm not angry, Princess," he said, tone dry and emotionless. I sighed. If he didn't want to talk, I wouldn't make him.

I was growing tired, but I didn't want to stop here. Not in this dark place. Aiden didn't say anything either, so we continued.

And eventually I saw faint light, coming from ahead, and I quickened my steps. It turned out the light was coming from a hole above us, wide enough for a person to fit through.

The moon and stars shone from the gap. It was night. Or, perhaps, early morning.

"Are you going to stand there all day?"

I gritted my teeth and held the sides of the hole. They were steady, because of the rocks, and didn't fall. But however much I jumped, my arms couldn't support me long enough for me to climb out.

After my third attempt, Aiden made a sharp, frustrated noise and grabbed my waist, hoisting me up. I clambered out of the tunnel, sighing as the fresh night air hit my skin.

I waited until Aiden had pulled himself out and dusted his clothes off. "Which way do we go?"

He glanced at the moon once, at the stars, and pointed. "This way."

"Are we not going to stop for the night?" I asked. He turned and gave me a flat look.

"We are. I know a cave we can stay in," he said, and abruptly turned and began walking again. I sighed and followed him until we came to a cave, between the trees, well hidden.

"How do you know this place?" I asked as we walked in.

"We all know the way to the next camp. It was necessary, in case we ever needed to run. " I nodded as he sat down, leaning on the far wall. He pulled open the pack he'd been carrying and rummaged through it.

"Here," he said, tossing me a blanket. I pulled it around myself and watched as he took out a towel.

"Are you going to use that?" I asked. He didn't respond, laying it on his legs. "For Nalvia's sake, Aiden, just share this one," I said, pushing the blanket to him. It was big enough for both of us. He continued to remain silent but pulled the blanket around his shoulders and tossed the towel back in the pack.

"So, how long is the journey to the next camp?" I asked.

"About five days. A warning, Princess, we'll have to walk."

He said it like an insult. I couldn't mistake the venom in his voice, even as his face was turned to the other side.

"What makes you think I won't do it?"

He was silent.

"Aiden, what makes you think I can't do it?" My tone was rising, and he finally turned and looked at me, eyes hard.

"Because you're — a Princess!"

"I beg your pardon?" What did that mean?

"See! I beg your pardon. You're so — princessy!"

I blinked. Was that Aiden, or a three-year-old child?

"Excuse me?"

"You grew up in a palace! You have no idea how we live here! You don't know what we've suffered! You grew up all rich and pampered! Well, Princess, things are different out here! You have to work, and suffer, and sacrifice, and Nalvia forbid, walk! We don't have east wings and pretty little maids hanging on to your every wish! The world doesn't revolve around you royals! And now my whole family is in danger because of you! So, yeah, I think you can't do what we rebels can!"

I gaped at him, at the fire in his eyes. Who was he to judge me like that?

"What is wrong with you? You think even though my mother wanted to kill me she's going to let me live in luxury, with pretty little maids hanging on to my every wish? You think I haven't suffered? I bet I've gone through much more than you ever have!"

He scoffed, "Oh, really? Do explain how."

I took a deep breath. "Fine. You love your sister, don't you? How would you feel if she was murdered? I lost all seven of my sisters! And my father! My mother hates me! And guess where I live! Not in east wings or a comfortable room like you do! I live in the dungeons! I barely have anything to eat, and the only thing I had to look forward to was my death because I had nobody to live for! My last sister died two years ago! And you know what? Forget all this. You know what else she did to me?"

I turned my back to him, letting the blanket fall off my shoulders. "Unbutton it."

"Elvina — "

"Do it."

He loosened the top few buttons of my shirt, letting a bit of my back show. I heard his sharp inhale, could practically feel the shock radiating from his body. "Where do you think these came from? I didn't do this to myself! She tortured me, she tortured all of us! How can you think I haven't suffered?"

I fell silent, panting slightly.

He was quiet for a moment.

He buttoned up my shirt again, and put his fingers under my chin, turning my face gently to meet his eyes. I bit my lip, the anger leaving me at the repentance in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Elvina," he said softly, "You're right. It wasn't my place to judge you."

"It's okay," I exhaled, slightly ashamed of my outburst, "Let's just go to sleep." He nodded and pulled the blanket back around me. He closed his eyes for a moment and opened them, nodding.

"I put a shield around us — if anyone comes close, I'll know."

"You can do that?" I asked. It was the first I'd heard of it.

He nodded, "I'm best at manipulating the air, so I just put an air pocket around us. If anyone enters it, I'll be alerted."

"And you can keep it up while you're asleep?"

He winced. "No, I'll stay up."

I blinked at him. "Aren't you tired?"

He shrugged. "Not that much. I'll wake you up if I'm really sleepy."

I pursed my lips. "You will wake me up in an hour."

"Three hours," he suggested.

"Two," I said, giving him a glare. How could he even think I'd let him stay awake while I slept? That was unkind.

"Fine," he grumbled, "Now sleep, Princess."

Only this time, he didn't mean it as an insult.

So, I loved it. Did you? I'm still for Aidvina as the ship name lol. Don't forget to:

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