Page 55 of Dark Elf's Good Girl
I fiddle around with his precious stamp in my pocket, shaking my head.
“Damn it,” he groans. “On top of the broken carriages, Father won’t be happy about any of this.”
Calix spins around on his heels and marches out the door. I let out a sigh of small victory, knowing I’ve bought myself another day.
* * *
“You’ll have to go solo on this one, brother.”
“What?” hisses Calix. “Why must I do this meeting alone?”
“I must go into town for supplies, Father gave me permission to do so.”
“But the carriages, they’re broken!”
“They’re all fixed up now,” I say calmly as I lay a hand on Calix’s shoulder. “You’ll have to be the charming one this time round. Now go get them.”
“Ugh,” he groans. “I don’t like this.”
I watch as Calix heads off before leaving for the stables. I climb into a carriage, its driver sitting ready at its head. As soon as I am settled in, the driver whips the equus into action, the carriage jolting into movement.
Leaving Isla alone here while I venture into town isn’t something I want to do but I rest assured knowing that Calix will be preoccupied with his meeting. We hit the roads, beginning the long trek into the city center.
Along the way, I mull over the details of my brewing plan on getting out of here with Isla. It’s proving to be no easy feat, even in the planning stage. I still have to figure out a way to leave no traces.
A few hours pass. The driver and I are en route home. I’m sitting in silence when suddenly the carriage tips to one side. Startled, I climb out to find a wheel has popped off.
“I thought these were replaced?”
“They were, must have been faulty or something.”
Damn, this is all coming back to bite me in the ass.
Not wanting to be delayed any further, I apply the use of magic to fixate the wheel back onto the carriage. It’s only a temporary solution but it means we’re back on the road within a few minutes.
Somehow, that time spent idle on the road has filled me with dread. I know I need to be back at the house as soon as I can, even if Calix is still in that meeting. Me being there is the only way I know Isla can be safe.
I take a few deep breaths, reassuring myself everything is okay as the manor comes into view. Soon, we’re pulling into the stables.
But there is where I come upon a frightening sight. I hop out of the carriage before it comes to a halt, running to the nearest servant.
“There were two other carriages here this morning,” I snap. “Now there’s only one, where is the other?”
The servant’s eyes widen as I shake his shoulders.
“Your brother!” he quivers. “Your brother took the other one, he went away with that human woman!”
At that moment, everything around me comes to a cathartic halt. I hear no sound save for my beating heart picking up the pace. I spin around and mount the nearest equu, giddying it into action.
Hitting the road once more, I take the north road to the forest, wondering if I’m already too late.
How the fuck did he get out of that meeting already?
My worst nightmare is coming to fruition but I hold onto that final glimmer of hope within my reach. I know for certain that there’s no way I can sneak Isla out, it’s going to have to be by force. All that matters to me now is her survival.
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ISLA