Chapter 21: Antares

“Are you sure this is safe?” Antares asked Astrid as she tied a loop in the long rope.

“No, not at all,” she said, analyzing the high windowsill above them.

“Comforting…”

Antares leaned against the stone bricks of the house, the light of the moon shining in the dark sky. The Soleils’ house was massive, although not so different from what Antares was used to. He knew very little of the Ash Court councilmen, apart from their names and faces, despite their politics being such a fervent topic within his own Court. When Astrid had informed him of whose house they were planning to infiltrate, Antares had barely blinked in response, although he was still curious to why she had chosen this party specifically.

Without invitations, sneaking in would take an effort. Both servants and Ash Court guards stood at each entrance, and Antares could make out a few of them in the windows patrolling through the ground floor halls. Some of them were even marching around the perimeter of the house for intruders. Antares still had leaves and branches stuck to his clothes from watching them pass in the bushes. He dusted one off his shoulder as Astrid’s white horse started to neigh, breaking the quiet atmosphere.

“Can you shut him up? He’s going to get us caught,” Astrid said without looking away, her eyes still focused on the elevated window. Her hair was done in an intricate style, the silvery-white strands braided together and pinned at the top of her head.

She aimed for the window with a steady arm, and tossed the end of the rope. It shot straight up into the air, before falling down like a coiling snake. Astrid let out a sigh of frustration before attempting to toss it again.

Antares stepped towards the horse, who was throwing its head and shaking the sacks hanging at its sides, the supplies inside knocking against each other loudly. One of the stored fruits spilled out of the bag, rolling onto the dirt floor.

Antares quickly grabbed the fruit before going for the horse’s muzzle. He gently gripped his harness with ease and softly clicked his tongue to calm him down. He moved over to his back, examining the tightly fit saddle and strings. Antares toyed with one of the straps, loosening the pressure as the horse slowly began to relax.

“See? The strings were just too tight. He didn’t mean any harm,” Antares said as he loosened the saddle as well. “This horse here needs a name.”

“Well, what do you suggest?” Astrid said, slightly irritated as she continued to attempt her throws, each trial falling down on her face.

“How about Maximus? He looks like a Maximus to me. And this one can be Bella,” he offered, nodding at their newly bought golden-brown horse as he adjusted the sacks of supplies back into place.

“Fine by me.”

“But I am wondering, how are we going to hide two horses carrying loads of supplies from the patrol guards?”

Astrid sighed. “This shouldn’t take long, we’ll be in and out in a second.” Antares gave her a skeptical look before she continued. “But just in case it takes longer than expected, maybe you should go find shelter for them. There’s bound to be a stable somewhere in an estate like this.”

Antares nodded. He dragged Maximus and Bella’s reins away, careful not to make a sound. They walked along the side of the mansion, Antares leading the horses around the various branches that lay on the ground. He kicked one of them away, knowing that the horses would step on it with a loud crunch. Antares made his way to the back corner of the wall, and peeked his head out slowly, watching for any guards.

At the back of the house was a massive section surrounded by a tall, thick stone wall. Green vines hung along its bricks, and Antares could make out the tips of tree leaves rustling in the wind within the vicinity of the walls.

Looks like a garden of some sort.

Just ahead of the walls was a large, wooden building, spacious enough to hold multiple horses. It looked close enough to be a stable. Antares took a single step forward, before he stopped and ducked behind the wall again.

A man emerged from the building, turning to stand guard at the side of the door. Antares cursed under his breath—it seemed this would be more work than he had hoped. He dropped the horses’ reins, confident that they wouldn’t run off. This would only take a few seconds.

With a deep breath, Antares burst from the corner, conjuring up his Speed. He ran straight for the guard and used the force of his body to knock the back of the guard’s head with his fist, the man falling to the floor with a violent thump. With that hit, he would probably be out for some time.

Skidding to a stop, Antares reached for the man’s legs and dragged him across the floor, pulling him into a small closet inside the shack.

Once the guard was locked away, he peered around the room, the pungent smells of a stable filling his nose. Almost a dozen horses stood proudly in their places, and Antares let out a sigh of relief.

He headed for the door, thrusting himself back to his own horses before they had a chance to escape.

With frequent glances to his sides, Antares shuffled Maximus and Bella along the open grass, the sacks thumping at their sides as they trotted with him. They had managed to grab the supplies—clothing, food, weapons, and the new horse—earlier that day. Antares didn’t ask how Astrid had acquired the money, considering one horse alone was already very expensive. He suspected she had even stolen the credits, which wouldn’t be surprising behavior in the backcountry markets of Aldebaran.

Antares had stayed near the shadows of the market as she purchased their needed materials. Surprisingly, the news of his arrest had not reached far yet. Antares wanted to believe it was from the goodness of his father, but it was probably to quell widespread panic while they would search for him silently. At the moment, Antares knew he was far from being the first priority of the Guard.

All the better. Gives me more time to clear my name.

When they finally reached the stable, Antares quickly ushered them in, pushing the enormous doors only slightly closed to keep an eye out for any passing guards.

Now…where to put you…

He scanned the individual compartments, searching for two empty ones to hide his horses away.

There.

A pair of lonesome stalls at the end of the room, isolated from the other horses in a shadowy corner. These would do perfectly fine.

He led Maximus and Bella into the dark spaces, taking care to leave them some water, and gently closed the gates behind them. With quiet steps, Antares made his way to the exit, cautiously peeking out the door. He planted himself in place and adjusted his stance, preparing for another burst of Speed. Taking off, he left the stables in a cloud of dust.

Only a moment later did Antares come to a sudden stop, and was met with Astrid dragging an unconscious man from the arms. A large bruise tinged his cheek, and his leg was bent at a slightly odd angle. She heaved him into the bushes, covering him with the leaves as Antares panted against the wall, his energy beginning to wane.

“What happened here?” he asked.

Astrid shrugged. “I had some visitors that I needed to take care of…you know how it is. His friend is just beside him in the bushes.”

He stole another glimpse at the man.

Damn…

From the beginning, his new partner seemed skillful in surviving on her own, even in the most violent environments. A part of him wanted to learn to trust her, but the other, more logical part told him that he needed to remain wary and focus on keeping his end of the deal. He didn’t want his fate to be similar to the men in the bushes, or any other possible victims of Astrid’s.

“I see you’ve finally gotten the rope to hang,” Antares observed as she gripped it firmly in her hands. The loop of the rope was stuck in a hook at the ledge of a window, one that was used for hanging lanterns.

“Yes, it seems I have. That took an annoyingly large amount of effort.” She lifted her feet off the ground, hanging lightly in the air. “Now come on, Soldier Boy. We’ve got a job to do.”

Antares glanced up at the hanging rope.

Oh no.

Astrid heaved her way up the rope, her feet walking along the side of the wall. With a nervous breath, Antares tried to follow her, his feet stayed perched on the ground, anxious that the rope wasn’t strong enough to hold their weight. A bead of sweat started to roll down his chin, and Antares reluctantly looped the end around his waist for support. He pulled on the rope, lifting his feet onto the wall. The world tilted as gravity pulled down on him, and he took another deep, worried breath.

It will be fine. Just don’t look down.

Trembling, he grabbed the rope ahead of him, tugging himself up just a few feet. Astrid was already well up the wall, nearly approaching the top. His arm stretched up above, using all of his strength to pull himself higher. His limbs began to burn with the effort, and his mind protested for him to stop. Yet he knew he ought well even with aching muscles. He knew it wasn’t his strength that held him back.

Of all the places, they just had to sneak in through a window, and the highest one of all things. If Antares let go, he would surely fall to his death, breaking every bone in his body as he went crashing down. It was such a long way to the ground, and Antares was vulnerable at every second.

How much further to the top? It can’t be that far.

“What’s taking you so long?” Astrid called from above, already inside the house. “You’re barely off the ground!”

“Uh…I won’t be long!” he called back, gripping the rope tightly as a shiver ran through his spine. He clenched his teeth, breathing heavily before finally working up the courage to reach his arm out again.

Suddenly, the rope began to shift, and Antares instantly clung on for his life. He felt himself moving upward, the rope bouncing up in short pulls. Planting his feet again, he walked as he was pulled up. When he finally neared the top, he planted a foot on the ledge, and hoisted his body into the building.

Astrid backed away, panting at her knees. “You are insanely heavy,” she said with irritated breaths. “What was the holdup?”

“Nothing. I…I just got nervous,” Antares muttered weakly, his cheeks turning a bright shade of pink. His heart was already beginning to slow down as he unwrapped the rope from his waist.

Astrid rolled her eyes, pulling the rest of the rope from the window. “Oh, don’t tell me. You are afraid of heights? The soldier who lives in the mountains?”

“Listen, we all have our fears. I’m sure yours are equally ironic.”

Astrid raised an eyebrow. “I’m not afraid of anything, Soldier Boy. You do well to remember that.” She coiled the rope together and stuffed it into the satchel at her hip. “Let’s find this party now, shall we?”

Breaking into a stride down the long hallway, Astrid tilted her head as she listened for signs of a massive gathering. Antares hastily shut the window and followed her, peering around for any witnesses nearby.

They had climbed into the middle of the corridor, its ends stretching out in either direction. Multiple doors were firmly shut, intricate carvings and shining handles at each one. Hanging above them were large lanterns, casting the dim hallway in a soft glow. Paintings of elegant people stared down at the pair as they turned a corner, Astrid first checking to make sure no one was there. Tall vases and suits of armor flanked both ends of the hallway. Besides the differences in color schemes, the Soleils’ mansion reminded Antares much of his own home.

Studying one particularly large suit, Antares’ arm unconsciously brushed against its outstretched armor, catching the metal.

Shit—

He jerked back as he took a step, and the clang of the fallen arm plate rang down the corridor.

Astrid whipped her head around, glaring at Antares as he gave her a sheepish look. He hurried to join her again after placing the piece of metal at the base of the suit.

“You know, for a Court celebration, I think we may be just a little underdressed, don’t you think?” Antares peered down at his tight-fit shirt, a stained white that was covered by a thin green vest.

“You’re right,” Astrid said, stopping in her tracks. She darted off to the side, reaching for a door along the wall. She gently pulled the handle, peeking in before heaving it open. Astrid stepped into the room, and lugged Antares in by the arm, before silently shutting the door behind them.

Antares stood awkwardly in the small, cramped room, almost pitch black with an unlit lantern at the side. He was about to say something before Astrid’s face appeared above the newly lit lantern, and Antares immediately analyzed the room. It seemed to be a storage closet of some sort. He was surrounded by cloths, towels and pillows, while buckets and brooms lay just at his feet. Astrid stood right in front of him, rummaging through her satchel, and pulled out a large pile of folded clothes.

“You just happened to have those with you?”

Without missing a beat, she shoved the fabrics into his arms, catching him by surprise.

“Put this on,” she sternly instructed, still searching her bag. She pulled out a folded black cloth from inside, and let the dress’s length fall to the floor. Astrid quickly began untying her corset, the laces coming undone and dropping into her hand. Her wrinkled shirt underneath was untucked and she began to loosen her belt, undoing the buckle. Antares froze, frantically confused.

What in the stars—

Astrid caught his perplexed staring. “What are you waiting for, an invitation? Turn around and put on the damn thing.”

Antares instantly spun around at Astrid’s orders, and began to quickly pull off his layers of clothing. The suit she had given him was of a deep maroon, its gold trimmings glinting in the light of the dim lamp. He straightened out its creases, and hastily buttoned it on, the cold air of the closet biting at his bare back. With a final adjustment of his belt, Antares shifted in the well-sized shirt and jacket. He wondered how Astrid was able to perfectly match his size so easily.

When he had finished putting on the pants of the suit, his blade hidden and strapped to his side, he turned around to see Astrid gazing into a small compact mirror, adjusting the smaller strands of her hair. The long black dress trailed down to her feet, hiding her dusty boots. Antares watched as she put on a pair of dangling silver earrings, ones that matched with a necklace she had bought with them. Although they were ridiculously cheap, and practically made of pebbles, their expensive appearance would help her blend in with the other ladies of the Court adorned in lavish jewels. Even when she was satisfied with her look, she continued to stare at the small thing, her mind clearly drifting off.

“Do I look all right?” Antares asked, breaking the silence.

Astrid quickly closed the mirror with a small click. Breaking out of her trance, she turned to face him, studying his appearance with a small smile.

“You look fine,” she said before her eyes gazed slightly up. “But please, do something with your hair.”

She rummaged through her bag again, and handed him a small, wooden comb. Definitely not what he was familiar with using for his own fancy events, yet it would do for now. He ran the comb through his curly locks, wincing as they went through the tangles and knots. Astrid reached for the door handle, peeking out into the corridor, as the blue light seeped through the crack of the door. Antares handed her back the comb before following her out to the hall.

“You have your blade, right?” she asked him.

“Yes, it’s hidden. What about you?”

“I’ve got mine as well. Remember, if anyone sees us, we’re just a foolish young couple that got lost on our way to the hall, got that?” Astrid said as he dawdled behind.

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, only to be met with a brief glare.

They continued to trek on, passing by a large mirror in the hall in which Antares fleetingly caught his reflection. The maroon of the suit seemed to match well with the deep red of his hair, which was combed back rather slickly.

After turning at the corner of the hall, Antares was met with an enormous set of polished stairs. The black, metal railing swirled down in a crafted design, as a sleek, red carpet ran down the middle of the steps.

“If there was a ballroom here, I’d suspect it would be on the main floor,” Antares said as he took a careful step down. Astrid gave him a slight nod, and picked up her pace, leading in front of him as he smirked.

✦✦✦

Astrid and Antares gracefully entered the ballroom, her arm linked in his. They smiled at guests passing by, holding the air of a rich, invited couple. Yet as they stepped into the room, Antares quickly noticed that something felt off. He was used to the lavish parties of the high members of the Courts, however the atmosphere here was slightly more…disturbed. Some of the guests wore tense looks on their faces, while others whispered frantically at the tables, stealing brief glances behind them.

Astrid shot Antares a small look. Something was clearly going on.

He looked over the murmuring crowds, walking past them silently. In the center of the room, he could make out a small circle of ladies surrounding one angry woman, steaming with fury. Her dress was soaked with wine, pieces of broken glass littered along the floor. Beside her stood two women, one young and one middle-aged, arguing furiously as a man gently attempted to stop them. Antares tilted his head, and immediately recognized the man’s face.

Councilman Soleil? And that woman must be his wife, which makes the younger girl…

As the two neared the scene, Antares could begin to make out the daughter’s words, although muffled in the whispers of the guests around him.

“Woe me for defending…this Court. And stars…daughter for the sake…and meaningless politics.”

Antares pulled Astrid alonged, intrigued at what had prompted such rage. The pair subtly came forward, finally away from the crowds, and listened in to her fervent rant.

What the hell?

She exposed everything, the Ash Court, the corruption, the Council, even her own mother. And when she was finished, Antares could only stand there, speechless at the recklessness of the girl.

And then her mother had attempted to Persuade her, shocking Antares even further. He had only heard rumors of the inescapable power of Sinistra Soleil’s Persuasion—no one had ever been able to resist her. Yet her daughter had done it. Her daughter had broken free from her grasp, and rose up with a vengeful resilience Antares had never seen before.

“Well, that was quite the show,” murmured Astrid, her eyes darting away as the crowd in front of them shifted. The councilman was desperately trying to get the guests back to normal, but to no avail, his daughter’s words still ringing in the audience’s ears.

“Now we can put our plan into action,” Astrid said, tugging at his arm and smoothly leading him away.

“You couldn’t possibly have known this was going to happen,” Antares said under his breath.

“Oh no, not at all, but it is a pleasant surprise. It pairs nicely with my plan for a distraction.”

Antares glanced over to Astrid with narrowed eyes. “Your what?”

She gently pulled him away, resuming their walk around the room. The crowd shuffled as others began to follow suit.

“Soon, I’m going to need you for a distraction.”

“Again, it would be really helpful if you’d tell me why.” Despite everything they had done so far, Antares still had no idea to what purpose he was there for.

“I don’t think so, Soldier Boy.”

Antares’ arm tightened around Astrid’s. “I am not going to risk someone recognizing me for a ridiculous distraction.”

“We’re in the Ash Court, no one will recognize you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Are you really that important of a guard?”

Antares pursed his lips. “I know there have been things going on in the Courts, Astrid. It’s no secret to me that the raid in Aldebaran was most likely planned and plotted.” He lowered his voice as a couple walking by suspiciously glanced at them. “Those warriors did not magically find Silmorite, they were supplied. You’ve brought me to not just any party, but one for the Ash Court Council, obviously for a good reason.”

Astrid removed her arm and spun to face Antares, stopping him. She leaned in close to his face, her striking eyes level with his.

“Oh, you don’t say? Perhaps I was wrong about you. Maybe you have been paying attention.”

“Enough games, Astrid. Tell me why we’re here.”

“I am trying to stop a war,” she suddenly hissed under her breath.

Silence. Antares kept his eyes locked with Astrid’s, waiting for her to continue.

“Tensions have been growing, Antares, especially between the Terris and Ash Court. I assume you are aware of those rumors of Silmorite being in the possession of the Ash Court? They are very well true, and they plan to do a lot more than kill a few villagers that held a place in the Courts.”

“They? As in, the raiders?”

“Councilman Oberon is the head of it all. That raid wiped out mostly Court officials, all so that he could weaken the other Courts.”

“How do you know all this?”

“I’ve been doing what those foolish councilmen refuse to do. Investigating.”

Antares stared at Astrid as she finished speaking, her face grim.

“What do you need me to do?” he said.

Astrid huffed, but immediately molded her face back to a neutral one. She must have spotted something behind Antares’ head.

“Come on,” she whispered, taking his arm again and resuming their walk. Antares didn’t miss a beat and went into stride alongside her.

“I knew there was something suspicious going on,” he muttered.

“Your Guard talked about it?”

Antares nodded. “They told us very little about Silmorite, but they brushed off the rumors about the Ash Court. If what you say is true, then it seems they really haven’t been investigating.”

“Of course they aren’t. Which is why we must take matters into our own hands.”

Antares pondered slightly at the word “we.” She was the one undertaking this dangerous mission. All he wanted was to clear his name.

There is no “we”...

Astrid led him to one of the massive tables, lined with an array of food. Little cakes and sweets sat next to sparkling glasses of wine, servants approaching to restock their trays after handing out confections through the room. Astrid picked up a delicate cake, angling her body to the room.

“Do you see that group of men and women? The ones near the white banner in the back.”

Antares quietly searched the crowd as he swiped a sweet as well. Looking near an exit that led to a garden outside, he spotted a large group of rather burly-looking soldiers, some paired with contrasting dainty women, each dressed in fine black suits and gowns. Antares knew that many of them had weapons hidden underneath, and he spotted the leader of the pack to the side as he bit into the light cake.

“This is insanely good,” he said through his chews.

“Do you see them or not?”

“Yes, yes, I see them. What about it?” His mouth was full of the airy cake. He nodded along while locking his eyes on the group.

“I need you to run into them and grab something for me. Preferably while knocking into the majority of them.”

Antares held back a cough, sharply looking back to Astrid. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. The big one with the dirty blond hair and the thick beard, that’s Oberon. I spotted a pendant around his neck that he seems pretty attached to. You’re going to use that nice Gift of yours to run past and grab it. Feel free to rile up the rest of his crew. Once you grab that and irk them up a bit, we’ll leave in the ensuing chaos. Luckily, our pretty rich friend over there already did half the job for us—the whole room is on edge.”

“You want me to anger the men about to whip out their swords at anyone who looks at them? As well as steal something from the man who holds a dangerous element? Hell, some of their women look vicious enough,” Antares said flatly, shuffling closer to Astrid as a couple neared the table.

“That’s right. And if you want to divert their wrath, just hand me the necklace.” She held a determined expression.

Antares smiled as if she had said something humorous. “So you came here to spy on them?”

She placed a hand on him, tilting her head with a fake tenderness. “More or less, yes. But their group is a tightly knit one, and we can’t approach them without arousing suspicion.”

“Would they really talk about their illegal plots at a party?”

“Some of the best kept secrets are discussed in plain sight. Everyone here is too wrapped up in their politics to pay any attention, and Oberon knows that well. Look how the Soleil girl caught the attention of these drama-crazed vultures.”

Antares stuffed the rest of the cake in his mouth. Astrid rolled her eyes as she looped her arm around his again, and began to lead him around the room towards Oberon and his men. They reached the doors opening to the garden, and stood beside it, leaning against the wall.

A lone couple stumbled into the ballroom from outside. Glancing nervously at Antares and Astrid, the woman quickly adjusted her dress as the man wiped away the deep red stain on his lips. They hastily disappeared into the crowd.

“Typical,” she said with a huff. “Can you see Oberon over my shoulder?”

Antares stifled a chuckle as he glanced past Astrid, his eyes focusing on the group. From there, he had a clearer view of Oberon speaking with another man. He watched as a lady slid to his side, her deep, navy dress stark against the white of the tablecloth. She tilted her head as she listened to Oberon speak. After scanning the scene, Antares finally spotted the small black locket around Oberon’s neck.

“Yes, I can. But why can’t you be the distraction?” He stole another glance at the blue woman. “Maybe sweet talk him into giving you that pendant.”

Astrid raised her chin. “You are here to help me. No complaining. You grab that pendant, cause a ruckus, and then we leave in the confusion, all right? Simple.”

“As if I’m not already in enough trouble.”

“I said no complaining. Remember our deal.”

A sigh. “All right, when should I go?”

Astrid turned her head and observed the massive room. They could no longer see the Soleil family at the center, Antares briefly wondering where they had gone. Most people were back to mingling, and the music had hesitantly started back up at some point, but the room still retained its tense atmosphere.

“We’ve spent more time here than I planned. Go right ahead, Soldier Boy.”

Antares dropped into a crouch, untying his polished shoes. He slipped them both off, leaving his bare feet pressed against the cool floor.

“What are you doing?”

He glanced up at Astrid with a smirk. “Better traction. I can’t stand these shoes anyway. They pinch.”

She rolled her eyes. “Hurry up before someone notices.”

With a deep breath, Antares stood up and subtly planted his feet, focusing on the group ahead of him. His internal reserve was telling him he had already used up a considerable amount of his Gift, but he dug deeper, ignoring its warnings. He braced himself and pushed off the soles of his feet.

The world became a blur as Antares took off, his heart beginning to pound with energy. He left Astrid with a gust of wind, ruffling her dress. He reached the group in a second, his hand aiming for the round black pendant. Grabbing it, he jerked it mercilessly, the string snapping against Oberon’s neck as it broke into Antares’ palm.

Thrown off by the momentum, Antares spun around, accidentally brushing his closed fist across the lady’s face before slamming into another man, sending them both crashing into the table behind them.

The sound of glass shattering rang out and mingled with the shriek erupting from the woman, now on the floor with a hand on her bruised cheek. Oberon had fallen forward and crashed into a chair from the quick pull of the pendant, and blood trickled down the side of his head. He struggled to regain his senses, rubbing furiously at the small gash. Antares was tangled on the floor with the man he had run into, the table having snapped in half. He painfully groaned under the cover of the tablecloth, the necklace tightly clasped in his hands.

“WHAT THE HELL?”

Oberon’s roar snapped Antares out of his daze, and he quickly wrangled the other man off of him. The music that had started up again now came to an abrupt stop once more. Picking himself up, the room spun around him in circles, yet he managed to keep his ground. His neatly combed hair was blown back into its usual wild auburn cloud, and his suit was torn in one arm. Silently staring at the scene before him, he looked to the crowd that had already begun to gather around, some tentatively coming forward to help the lady to her feet.

The sound of a sword unsheathing echoed behind him, and Antares whipped around to see the man he had knocked into standing up, blade in hand. One of his eyes had already begun to swell shut, along with a striking scar across his face of a deep red.

Here we go…

“You are going to pay for that, you little piece of shit,” he growled.

Another sword hissed. Antares didn’t dare move his eyes from his first attacker, but caught Oberon standing viciously in the corner of his eye. He opened his mouth to say something, his eyes trained on the chain dangling out of Antares’ palm, but shut it after a beat.

Whatever Antares was holding, Oberon wanted it back.

Come and get it then.

Antares began to slowly step back, his feet unwilling to run. He knew his reserve had reached its end, and he could feel fatigue begin to creep in.

“Soldier Boy!”

Antares turned his head to see Astrid sprinting towards him, somehow without fumbling in her gown. Her hand was outstretched, and Antares immediately understood. He threw the pendant in a big swoop of his arm, the string glinting in the lantern light as it flew through the air. Astrid caught it easily and nodded to him with assurance. He nodded back before she turned her course and plunged into the crowd, instantly disappearing.

All logic told him she could easily abandon him, but he buried the thought. His only goal now was to escape.

Another roar shook the room. Oberon raised his sword and charged at Antares, his eyes filled with malice. Instinctively, Antares’ body somehow managed to put in one last burst of Speed as he dashed around the angry men, throwing himself into the crowd.

Chaos broke out the moment he knocked into the horde. People immediately began to stampede, while others unsheathed their own hidden weapons in defense. Antares came to a stop in the middle of the swarm, his body spent. Breathing heavily, he began to run for the exits, trying to avoid the bodies and blades of the guests. He could hear Oberon and his men yelling in the background, so Antares tucked his head low and jogged as fast as he could manage without collapsing. He tore off his suit jacket as he ran, unbuttoning his shirt’s top buttons as sweat soaked his body.

Where is that damned exit?

The mansion was already confusing enough without the panicked screams and pounding of people’s feet. Antares followed the crowd, praying he was going in the right direction, and hoped Astrid managed to find a good hiding place, if she didn’t already leave. He narrowly missed stepping on people who had fallen, and spotted drops of blood on the floor through people’s dresses and shoes.

He left the hall, pushing past people running to the main doors. His head was pounding now, and he knew there was no way he could use his Gift to run out. He was on the tipping point of a complete burnout. Again.

I really need to stop doing that, he thought sourly.

Spotting a narrow hallway leading to the left, he managed to break free from the crowd and leaned against the wall, taking in large gulps of air. Ahead, he noticed a set of double doors, with servants running in and out in a panic. He glanced at a frenzied couple as they ran into the hall as well, ignoring Antares against the wall. It was the same man and woman from the garden.

“Come on, this way,” gasped the man, tugging on her hand. “There’s always an exit in the servants’ area.”

Antares watched as they disappeared behind the doors, ignoring the servants’ calls to stop. Inhaling deeply and clutching his side, he began to make his way to the swinging doors.

“Stop.”

Antares immediately halted at the voice. His thoughts of getting to the doors, of escaping, began to slowly melt away.

“Turn around.”

The voice in his head telling him to run suddenly became muted as he slowly obeyed. In front of him stood the Soleils’ daughter in her white dress, strands of hair sticking out from her skewed braid. A wilted rose rested behind her ear, and her brown eyes glinted as she stalked towards Antares.

Before she could speak, the crowd behind them sent a new wave of cries, and she whipped her head back. A crash echoed down the hall, and a loud voice rang above the deafening panic.

“Where the hell are they?”

Quickly facing Antares again, she narrowed her eyes at him as his mind tried to break free from her Persuasion, but with no success.

“Follow me.”

Her voice wrapped around Antares like a chain, one that forced him behind her. He followed her with faltering steps through the house, barely able to grasp his surroundings. She led him up a twisting staircase, somehow hidden within the folds of the house. Antares quickly lost track of where they were, his body aching and his mind foggy.

They entered another massive corridor, with doors on both sides. Decor and paintings hung on the walls, illuminated by the dangling lanterns. As Antares numbly followed the girl, he was dimly aware of her grabbing a large sword off the wall, one of many lined up against the rows of armors.

Through his hazy vision, he managed to see the girl reaching for the handles of glassy doors. They swung open without a sound, revealing what looked to be a stone balcony, and letting in the cool night air.

“Stand with your back to the edge.”

With the little energy he had left, Antares tried to stop, his mind pushing against the thick wall the girl had surrounded his mind with. Yet he knew he was too weak and that her Gift was abnormally strong, so he defeatedly obeyed, facing her with his back against the thick stone of the rail. He felt his stomach begin to drop, trying not to think about the descent below.

Behind him, he could hear the distant cries of the escaping crowd around the other side of the house. They were overlapped with the sounds of rushing carriages and horses, people fleeing the panicked scene.

“You will not move.”

The girl hefted the sword to chest level with Antares, her face set threateningly. He immediately recognized her poor form and stance, a small, comforting thought as his mind raced to find a way out of her grip.

“All right, now that we’re situated, it’s time to have a little chat,” said the girl. She raised her chin as she stared at Antares.

“You’re going to tell me everything. Why you’re here, how you got in, who that silver-haired friend of yours is. All of it, or one nice push with my sword and you plummet to your death.”

Antares swallowed, trying not to show his panic as he shook his head. “Please, I was only trying to get out.”

“I don’t think so. Tell me everything.”