Between Gates (The Gate Chronicles Book 1)

Chapter 31: Escape

Nari waited breathlessly for Chenn to come for her. She didn’t know the exact time because she didn’t have a clock, but she knew that he’d come around an hour before midnight.

It had been a day or two since he’d visited her last, and they’d laid their plans. Now was the time when they would either escape or die.

A clinking came at her door. She rushed over to it. A moment later Chenn opened the door.

“Come on!” He waved for her to hurry.

She hurried out the door, and he followed quickly on her heels after locking the door.

“That should make them think you’re still in there for a while. That way, if anyone just looks at the door, they’ll think you’re still there.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

They increased their pace, not speaking further. Chenn overtook her, and led the way to the hold. Nari was struggling to keep up. She was still weak from her illness, and it was hard work to keep up with Chenn.

But her body was resilient, and she knew it was a matter of life or death. If she dragged them down, then they’d both end up dead. She forced herself to speed up to keep in pace with him.

Moments later, they reached the hold. The guards were, true to Chenn’s prediction, gone.

“How long before they come back?” Nari puffed.

“No more than five minutes.” Chenn’s voice was clipped and hushed as he entered the numbers into the combination code.

The door to the hold swung open for them. Chenn hurried inside, sweeping the Book, Scepter, and Wand into his bag. Then he came back out. He shut the door gently, resetting the lock to look like nothing had been tampered with.

“Quick. Follow me. I know a way out that goes the opposite way of the direction the guards will come.” Chenn hissed.

Nari nodded, face pale. The excitement was taking its toll. The only reason she was still on her feet, she knew, was the adrenaline rush she was currently experiencing.

Chenn headed off again, and she followed, breathing hard. They ran silently through the empty halls. The dark shadows were filtering over the floor, scarcely disbanded by the dim light strips along the floors and walls.

Finally they reached the door outside. Chenn shoved it open.

“Go through the Gate first.”

“What? Chenn, we didn’t agree on that! I won’t!”

“Don’t argue with me! I found something that can help us, but I have to stay behind for it to work!” He snapped. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“What are you going to do?” Her face was a white sheet, and her lips were nearly as pale.

“I’m going to make sure that they can’t follow us for a while.”

Her eyes widened. “Chenn?”

“No time to explain! Now move. Get across the runaway as fast as you can.”

She nodded, no longer arguing. She had decided to trust him, and she couldn’t go back now.

“Now!” Chenn hissed.

She darted out of the door into the pouring rain. She slipped on the slippery surface of the runway. But she regained her footing, and continued on her way.  Guards tried to stop her, but fear fueled her, strengthening her. She shoved them out of her way, slipping out of their grasp.