Chapter 19

  The Escape

  I blinked several times, trying to process what I was seeing. The woman in heavy makeup and a wig—no, it couldn’t be. But as my vision cleared, I realized with a jolt of disbelief that it was my mother.

  I opened my mouth to speak, my brain still in shock, but before any words could escape, she raised her hand, a sharp, quick gesture that made my stomach tighten. It was a clear signal to keep quiet, to stay silent, as if saying anything would ruin everything. I must have looked like a fish, my mouth opening and closing in disbelief. But then, a sense of urgency filled the air. Her eyes, despite the strange mask of makeup, held a sharp, focused look. I realized in that instant that there was no accident.

  A sharp pinch from Kai jolted me out of my stupor, the sudden pain making me wince. My hand instinctively went to the spot, but it was too late. I was already wide-eyed, my mind still struggling to process everything. My gaze flicked back to my mother, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of concern in her eyes, as if she sensed the pain that was coursing through me.

  Her glare turned to Kai—cold, cutting, as if she could slice through him with nothing more than her stare. The air around us seemed to thicken with the unspoken tension between them.

  “How can I help you?” she asked, her voice calm but edged with wariness, like a fragile mask over something much darker.

  Kai didn’t hesitate. His voice, harsh and commanding, filled the space between us. “We’re here to see our daughter, Crystal Thompson.”

  His words hung in the air, heavy with authority.

  My mother’s expression didn’t change, but I noticed her eyes flicked quickly to me before returning to Kai, as if making some unspoken decision. Then, with a barely perceptible sigh, she spoke. “Go down the corridor, take the elevator up to level three. Her room is the first on the right.”

  Her voice was steady, but her gaze betrayed her—nervous, almost too quick. I couldn’t tell if she was afraid or simply trying to hide something, but I was sure of one thing: something wasn’t right.

  Kai wasted no time, grabbing my wrist with a tight grip and dragging me down the corridor, his movements urgent and unyielding. Each step felt like a weight on my chest, and I couldn’t shake the hollow feeling in my stomach as I was pulled along. My body felt limp, like I was just going through the motions, caught somewhere between fear and disbelief.

  When we reached the elevator, I instinctively shrank into the corner, trying to put as much space as possible between us. The tension between Kai and me had grown thick, almost suffocating, as though the air around us was charged with unspoken resentment. I kept my gaze away from him, eyes focused on the flickering lights above.

  The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and before I could even prepare myself, Kai grabbed my arm again, pulling me into the hallway. I stumbled slightly, my feet not quite keeping up with his pace, but he didn’t slow down.

  We reached the first room just as my mother had said. Kai swung the door open with a force that made it slam against the wall, and we stepped inside.

  But… nothing.

  The room was empty.

  Cold, sterile walls stared back at us, untouched and void of anything resembling life. The bed was made perfectly, the curtains drawn tight. No sign of Crystal. No sign of anyone at all.

  I felt my chest tighten as panic began to claw at my throat. “Where is she?” I whispered, more to myself than to Kai. But my voice was too small, too weak to be heard over the growing panic inside me.

  Kai’s grip on me tightened as he scanned the room with cold, calculating eyes. The silence pressed in on us, the weight of the unanswered question hanging heavily in the air. Had we been led here for nothing?

  Kai’s face twisted into an angry grimace, his jaw clenched with fury, and just as he opened his mouth to explode, the door slammed open. Two officers stormed in, their heavy boots pounding against the floor. In a blur of motion, Kai was shoved hard against the wall, his arms twisted behind him as handcuffs clicked into place.

  My heart raced in my chest, my breath catching as the whole scene unfolded before me in a surreal daze. It felt like I was watching someone else’s life—someone who wasn’t me. Was this really happening? Was this some kind of nightmare?

  Without thinking, I pinched my arm hard, the sharp sting of pain grounding me. This is real, I realized, my breath coming in shallow gasps. I wasn’t dreaming.

  I watched in stunned silence as the officers dragged Kai out of the room, his protests echoing through the hallway, his body kicking and jerking with resistance. But I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. The entire room felt suffocating, the air thick with the remnants of chaos. I slowly sank onto the edge of the empty bed, numb to everything around me.

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  Minutes seemed to stretch into eternity before a female officer and a nurse entered. The officer’s expression softened when she saw me, her voice gentle as she approached.

  “Are you alright, honey?” she asked, her tone comforting.

  I nodded weakly, too exhausted, too emotionally drained to speak. The nurse, kind but efficient, began tending to my almost non-existent wounds. Her hands were soft, steady as she worked, but I couldn’t focus on the physical pain. My mind was elsewhere, racing through questions that made no sense, trying to piece together the fractured reality around me.

  The officer continued to ask questions, but they were distant—just noises in the background of my fragmented thoughts. I couldn’t grasp anything, couldn’t make sense of anything. I was lost in the confusion.

  Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, I was escorted down to the ground level. My eyes immediately locked onto my mother. Without thinking, without a second of hesitation, I rushed into her arms. The floodgates opened, and the tears I’d been holding in for so long spilled freely, soaking her shirt as I clung to her.

  “It’s alright, sweetie,” my mother murmured, her voice warm, soothing, and yet full of something I couldn’t quite place. “It’s going to end this time. It’s over.”

  I choked on my sobs, trying to catch my breath. “Is Crystal alright?” I asked through my tears, desperate for some assurance, some sense of calm amidst the storm.

  My mother’s expression softened, her hands gently brushing through my hair. “Yes, she’s fine. She’s with Saxon.”

  The weight that had been crushing my chest finally began to lift, just a little, and a shaky breath escaped me. “Thank God. I thought something had happened to her.”

  “We didn’t mean to scare you, sweetie,” she said, her voice low, almost apologetic. “But it was the only way we could get you back. It’s all over now. It’s finally over.”

  I pulled back slightly, my gaze shifting, and I saw her—Crystal. She was standing behind my mother, looking like a dream I didn’t want to wake from. Without another thought, I bolted toward her, pulling her into a tight hug.

  “Mum, you’re squishing me!” Crystal laughed, her voice light and teasing, like nothing had ever happened.

  “Oh, sorry, honey,” I muttered, pulling away slightly, but not enough to let go. “I’m just so glad you’re alright.”

  “I’m fine,” she reassured me, though there was a hint of exhaustion in her eyes.

  “Where’s your father”

  “He’s talking to the officers,” she replied quickly. “He said he’ll be in soon. Also, he told me to make sure you get checked in.”

  I shook my head slightly, a small smile playing on my lips. “I’m fine.”

  “No, Mum. You need to get checked in,” she insisted, her voice firm.

  Her small hand landed on my stomach, and I froze, her touch sending a wave of realization crashing through me.

  For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. It hit me all at once—the little gift we’d almost forgotten. The truth I had been running from suddenly became real in a way I hadn’t expected. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my racing heart.

  I looked at my mother, trying to ignore the panic rising within me. “Mum, I need a nurse.” My voice was trembling, but I had to say it.

  We went to get checked in, and I had just changed into a fresh gown when Saxon came in. Crystal had fallen asleep on my lap, her weight warm and comforting, and I didn’t have the heart to move her.

  “How are you feeling?” Saxon asked quietly, his voice a soothing contrast to the chaos I’d just experienced.

  “Sore,” I murmured. “The nurse booked me in for a scan tomorrow morning. She said I needed sleep first.”

  I paused, the exhaustion finally catching up to me. “I didn’t think you were going to find me.”

  Before I even realized it, tears started running down my face again. Everything that I’d been holding inside broke free, and I hugged Crystal’s sleeping form closer, as if I could shield myself from the storm inside me.

  Saxon’s arms wrapped around my shoulders, his presence solid and grounding. His warmth seeped through me, offering the comfort I didn’t even know I needed. I let out a shaky breath, allowing myself to relax, finally able to let go, just a little. It was over.

  “I didn’t think you remembered to hide things under the bed,” Saxon said softly, his voice light, trying to break the tension.

  “I didn’t,” I replied with a half-smile, my voice a little more steady now. “It was a conscious thing to do.”

  “What about the castle?” Saxon asked, his voice low, as if the words themselves carried weight.

  I swallowed, feeling a chill crawl down my spine. “You saw it?” I whispered, my voice barely more than a breath. “I had convinced myself that it was only a figment of my imagination, that something was playing with me.”

  Saxon’s expression shifted, a frown etching itself into his features as he turned to face me fully. His eyes were narrowed, studying me like he was trying to read the truth between my words. The silence between us stretched longer than it should have, and for a moment, I felt like I might suffocate under the weight of it.

  “I thought... I thought I was losing it,” I confessed, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “Maybe it’s just my mind playing tricks on me. Maybe the hormones are messing with the loops in my head, making me see things that aren’t really there.”

  Saxon didn’t respond immediately. He just watched me, his brow furrowed in thought. The way his gaze lingered, though, made me feel like he was trying to puzzle out something I hadn’t said, something deeper than just a simple hallucination.

  “Or maybe,” he said slowly, his voice steady despite the tension in the air, “maybe you’re seeing something that’s real.”

  I shook my head quickly, trying to dismiss the thought. "Real? But—"

  “It’s possible,” he interrupted, his eyes softening a bit, though there was still a spark of something serious in them. “You’ve been through a lot lately. And if there’s one thing I know about this world, it’s that things aren’t always as they seem. I know this isn’t the time for this kind of conversation, but just think about it. There has to be a moment in time when you have felt the magic that surrounds you.”

  “Dad, don’t, you know she isn’t ready for this kind of conversation.”

  “I guess you're right.” Saxon’s smile softened, and he kissed the top of my head gently. “I’m glad you’re safe.”

  I closed my eyes, leaning into him, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like I could breathe again. It was over.