Destined for Vengeance ✔️

Chapter 41

"Where are we going, Your Majesty?" Jade asked. Corinne was tall and Jade had to make an effort to keep up with her.

"O, don't 'Your Majesty' me, I beg you. 'Corinne' will do just fine, at least when we are among ourselves. I hate standing on ceremony. To answer your question, Aaron asked me to talk to you, but I think you and I are a bit alike, and if that's so, then I know talking is not what you need right now. What you need is to run." She stopped and glanced around her. They were in the middle of an empty corridor, right in front of a large tapestry. "Now, the secret of sneaking out of the castle is to use the tunnels."

"Tunnels?"

Corinne wiggled her eyebrows and pulled the tapestry aside, revealing a worn, wooden door. "This is just one of the entrances, but I prefer this one. Not many people venture into this part of the castle, which makes it easier to sneak out. Come on." She opened the door and, ducking her head, passed into the pitch black hallway that lay behind it.

"I thought we're not allowed to leave the premises without permission," Jade said.

Corinne's head popped back out. If Jade wasn't so nervous, she would've laughed at the sight of that composed, graceful queen peeking out from cobwebs and darkness. "Are we prisoners, Jade?"

"Well, no."

"Then who do we need to ask permission but ourselves?" She turned and disappeared. Jade hesitated only a second, then followed.

"It's a good thing we have good eyes," Corinne said. "Close the door behind you. Just like that – yes, perfect. Now, quiet. Use your ears if your eyes don't suffice. Follow me."

She started moving and Jade followed. The hallway was just broad enough to walk through and just high enough for Corinne to be able to walk upright. The walls were cold and damp, and the ground beneath Jade's feet was uneven.

"It's not a long walk. I feared you might be afraid of spiders and rodents, but I think you're tougher than you look."

"I don't look tough?" Jade asked, which earned her a chuckle.

"No offense, but you look like a lost pup. That's a good thing, though. When people underestimate you, it's easier to beat them." She stopped. "Here we are. Hold up." She pushed against the ceiling – insofar as it could be called that – and light slipped into the space. She threw the hatch open and hoisted herself up, out of the tunnel. Crouching, she turned and offered Jade a hand, pulling her out as well.

They were standing on the left side of the hill, surrounded by trees. Beside them, the castle rose up high and daunting.

"Alright, we need to be careful or they'll see us from the walls. This way." Corinne closed the hatch and hid it underneath branches and leaves. Next, she led Jade further down the hill, where the forest grew denser with every step.

"Why do I feel like we're committing a crime?" Jade asked.

"That's the fun of it." Corinne flashed her a grin. "It's no crime, and it's not the end of the world if we get caught."

"Do you do this often?"

"Not as often as I would like, but often enough to drive Alder to the edge of madness." She looked over her shoulder, peering at the castle. "He regrets the day he told me about these tunnels. Not that I didn't sneak out before that – it was just harder."

"If you keep doing it, why does he not just allow it?"

"O, no, he's far too proud for that. That would be admitting defeat. Can you imagine? No. He'll only let me go outside with half an army by my side. And if he got his way, I would never shift at all. It's harder to keep me safe when I'm running in my wolf form. Doesn't help that I'm faster than any of his guards." She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Alright. We're far enough out now. This is where I usually hide my clothes. Nobody comes here." She stopped and so did Jade. There was a large boulder beside them. Corinne kicked off her shoes and pushed them into a cavity underneath the rock. Her hands moved to her hair and she stared pulling out pins with expert speed. "Come on. Don't be shy. Don't tell me you're one of those women embarrassed by being naked."