Page 95 of Ruby & Onyx

She was my first true friend, and I owe her my life. I don’t want to carry on without her. How could I? She filled a hole in my heart that I never knew existed. Losing her would empty it all over again.

“Radya, I’m bound in service to the king. I can’t just leave! And I certainly can’t leave without Viola!” Her darkened eyes meet mine in a pleading stare.

“Well, go find her! We can all go to-”

She interrupts, “I’ve been worried sick since I got your letter. Why are you leaving in the first place?”

“We don’t have time for this!” Amin says through gritted teeth. He dances around like he’s itching to leave us here. “This isn’t a party, Radya. We’re trying to escape!”

I inhale sharply and attempt to explain as quickly as possible. “Olly stabbed me. The king imprisoned me. I have to go. Please, just consider it. We’re meeting at the alcove by the sea. Go find Viola!”

“Radya. It’s time.” Bas’ hand wraps around mine, gently tugging me away from my friend.

I eke out the words “meet me there” before allowing myself to be pulled away. Gemma’s pained expression burns into my brain. I’m not sure if it’s delusion or reality, but I swear that I hear the faintest whisper, “I’ll try.”

* * *

Bas leads the way as we run in a pack. He’s navigating the halls like he’s seen them a thousand times, something I barely accomplished after a month of living here.

“How do you know where you’re going?” I ask through panting breaths.

“Vito, Ray, and Cuccia have been mapping out the halls for the past week.” He gestures to the blue-eyed invisibles just a couple of steps behind him.

They have? Has he been here this whole time? How could he have been so close without me knowing?

“If you were here the whole time, then why didn’t you come for me sooner?” I blurted the question before I could stop it.

“Do you remember what I said to you at the ball?” He glances at me quickly while keeping up his pace.

My mind drifts back to that night. He was merely a stranger, and yet my heart called out to him. I could feel it in my bones – a sense of yearning and belonging. And yet, when he asked me to wait for him, I declined. I told him no as he walked away. I was willing to allow that feeling to escape. And for what? A family that discarded me like rotten meat?

Time has a funny way of revealing your fate in little pieces, like a puzzle scattered across the floor. Some pieces might be hidden, some might not fit right away. But once you put it together, it creates a beautiful picture – full of sorrows and losses, beauty and joy.

I needed to end up in that dungeon. To meet Guylita and Amin. To feel the sting of Olly’s betrayal. Without each of these events taking place exactly as they did, I wouldn’t have believed in myself enough to walk freely into my destiny. I know now that I don’t need all of the answers right away. All I need is the courage to keep going.

His face twists at my silence. “We have so many things to discuss, but we need to focus on getting out of here.”

I nod in agreement and keep trudging forward.

When we reach the door that opens to the garden near the sea, the air rips from my lungs in a violent lurch as I halt. There’s only one way down to the alcove, and it includes walking directly past Olly’s balcony. If he’s out there… if he sees us…

“We can’t use the stairs.” I scan the grounds for another way down. “Olly could spot us. It’s too risky.”

“What if there’s another way down?” A gentle voice sounds behind us, and, for a second, I wonder if I made it up. I whip my head around and see two mediols floating side by side. Relief floods my body as I run to wrap my arms around both of them.

Both Gemma and Viola.

My friends.

“What other way?” Bas asks, unphased by their presence. Amin looks to him to assess whether or not they should lend their trust to the winged strangers. Bas gives a subtle nod, which kindles another rush of warmth inside me that shoots from head to toe.

“There’s a tunnel that leads down to the alcove. It’s designed for the royal family to escape in case of attack. There are entrances inside the king’s chambers, at the guard’s tower, and at the stables,” Viola explains.

I can’t help but wonder how Gemma convinced Viola to come with us. She does everything by the book, following every rule to a tee. And now, suddenly, she decides to help the King of Umbra escape with three prisoners in tow? Only one thing could convince her to do that, and her hair is bluer than the sea.

“Obviously, the first two options are out of the question, but I know one of the stable boys,” Gemma says with a cheeky grin. This must be the same stable boy that helped us borrow horses to visit Guylita. Judging by the look on her face now, I wonder if their relationship might extend past friendship. I’ll have to save that particular question for another time.

“Well, why are we still standing here, then?” Amin urges, gesturing for us to hurry.

---