hel

dn't

coul

tside my door, my phone taken... ever

e horizon as tears slid silently down my cheeks. I kept w

sold myself

I was

broke through

.Ma

urn

lue pyjamas, a shy smile on his face. He slip

d to mine, wid

a make y

gh me. I walked toward him and

whispered, a lie tha

s if afraid letting go

t, he tugged

the garden with me? Ju

fr

"You won't leave this room unle

out... the gu

get pa

uld

buy us tickets to another cont

eath

as my

t," I w

tly as he grabbed my hand

mediately, then relaxed wh

ll, and my heart hamm

were busy carrying trays and

d passed with a bask

. "Could you take Leo to ge

ghtly. "Yes,

, confused. "But we'

tly. "I'll be right behind you.

ed, taking Anita's han

d the corner, my ches

was

st as I could-not running

through the general sitting

as I spotted more m

rel, you're out of your room? Where is Leo?" he

in the kitchen. He forgot his toys in the

oment, then nodded. "My ap

alked past him through the d

r and slipped through the serv

d-high, cold, and covere

at it, my br

Do it now

the vines.

eno

ms burned, and my arms shook under my weight. The

acle, I rea

leg over

p my back, knocking th

didn't

feet. The open w

I whispered.

heard s

om the manor. Footsteps ru

eard m

h

the trees, feet pounding the earth, bra

ra

d

ce turni

o

g his legs while sipping apple juice. The workers mo

ancing at

it

have been

ng off the counte

she...?" h

his little slippers tapping qu

ed, peeking aro

ans

the sitting

pt

His voice g

hallway, checkin

stai

uest

outside her

l no

with the back of

." he whispered, thou

courtyard, hope ri

ourtyard

ved the

was

ightened as he

hing?" His voice shook.

d and stopped when he heard

he courtyard, their faces tense

" one of them

p at them wi

he said quiet

s changed instantly-

embarrassed, shaking his

th me soon... but she's g

ast footsteps ec

le harder than usual, clearly warned

saw Leo's red eyes

Vance crouched do

voice breaking. "Mam

he... she

fell into deep,

wo men exchan

eady knew wh

had e

not going to

ien

g reports when heavy footst

fa

lo

was pa

d move, my do

d there, br

ir

esit

a good

coldly. "Where," I said,

He's safe. He's wit

t w

footsteps suddenly

e

fice, tears stream

?" My voice softened for

pping my shirt with shaking ha

inside me

.Wh

y chest. "She left... she left without

, a storm rising

ntly. "Leo, look at me," I said

.. she wasn't in her room... and the guards outs

ere signs of climbing, sir. Vines pulled d

n my chest at her audacity-to leave

concerned, and disappointed. "The

Papa... why would she leave

on hit me

y, pulling him closer.

my shirt, his small

to Vance. My voice turned to ic

"We didn't notice, sir. We didn't t

ared. "That gi

o," Vance cut in, frow

ed-anger, then

ung woman, you cannot expect her to stay.

ned, but he clun

rget your mother was once a young woman too.

le

e comp

idn't anger me. It shut so

or a s

coldness

my arms. "Vance," I said s

nod

," I growled. "Alive. Un

ped forward

nce... when we bring her back, she won't be leaving her r

. "Papa, no!" he crie

der than it

elf to answer. "...Fine," I mutte

ned, and he rested his fore

d on his back,

softness

again, shadows return

otsteps disappearing down the hall as

ubled, but followed them, a

ly as we walked

weak and breaking. "You... y

le only for him. "Yes," I

in relief, c

ed his head again, the

ness returne