The Last Princess

Chapter 45

I froze.

Aiden, however, had no such hesitation. He grabbed me and bolted.

Before the guards knew what was happening, he had pulled me inside the shop, hastily followed by Acer, who locked the door. We ran to the back of the shop, and I glanced back once, seeing through the window that the boy was fine. He'd been pulled aside by some adult elves, and the guards were attempting to break down the door.

The shop shook with the force of their attempts.

Acer pressed something on the wall, and a passage opened in the wall. "Go!" I spun around and grabbed his hand. "What about you?"

He smiled. "I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. I'm glad I helped you. Whatever I do, don't let my efforts go to waste." I realized what he meant just as Aiden pushed me inside the hole. "No!" I cried. "Shh!" Aiden said, eyes wide. I lunged back towards the opening, but it closed. The last thing I saw was guards breaking through the door.

"Elvina! Stop! We have to go!" Aiden cried. I was beginning to shake. "How can you leave him? He'll be killed!" I cried. "We'll be killed if we don't leave!" Aiden pressed. When I didn't respond, he said, "You can't help him! You heard what he said! Don't let his sacrifice go to waste! Elvina, if we die here, everything he's done will go to waste. We have to go."

I glanced up at him. His face was earnest, and sweet, and sorrowful. I knew he felt just as bad about this, but he had his priorities straight. I gave a tremulous nod. He sighed, relieved, and pulled me forward. As an afterthought, he pushed his hand out, back to where we had come from. A wall of rock shot up, blocking anyone from following us.

I tried not to think about Acer, but honestly, he was all I could think  about. He'd helped us so much and we'd left him. We'd just left him to die.

We ran on for a very long time.

Finally, Aiden stopped. I couldn't see him anymore, just feel him. "Shh. We're coming to the territory guard. Don't. Make. A. Sound." I nodded, then realized he couldn't see me, and squeezed his hand. "Okay." I whispered.

We crept on silently. We were very underground, because the tunnel had sloped downwards some time ago, so I didn't see how anyone could hear us. But if Aiden thought it wise to be cautious, I would be cautious.

Finally, after another very long time, fatigue overcame me. Aiden was tired, too. I could sense it. His legs had slowed, and his breathing was labored. "Can we stop?" I suggested quietly. He shifted, like he was considering it. "Yes." He said finally. "Not for too long, though." "Alright."

We sat down side by side, leaning on the wall. I let a few tears slip as I thought about Acer. The grief and guilt I'd bottled up the whole time threatened to spill out. Perhaps Aiden felt me shaking, or perhaps he just knew I'd need it, but he slipped his arm around my shoulders and murmured, "It's okay. Acer knew what he was doing. It wasn't your fault, Elvina. He chose this."

His arm tightened, and I leaned into him, needing the comfort. 

The long day had taken it's toll on my body, and, with Aiden holding me protectively, I fell asleep.