Page 106 of All the Chaos of Constellations
Escape was her only option.
Novalise darted across the room and locked the door. Reaching up, she grabbed a handful of the thick drapes and tugged. Hard. Anxiety spun through her as the fabric ripped away from its bindings and the bronze rod bobbled, nearly tearing the fixtures from the wall. She repeated the process with the next set of drapes, then laid them out on the floor, tying them together with the gold cord.
Music sounded from outside the sitting room, and she stole a quick glance at the door. It would only be a matter of time before Ariesian arrived to escort her to the throne room.
Make haste, Novalise.
She fought against the tremble in her hands, urging herself to concentrate.
You can do this.
When the final pair of draperies were bound together, she stood and admired her work. She wasn’t entirely sure about the length, only that the balcony was at least as high as the tree line in the distance, if not higher. She took one end of the rope and fastened it around two of the stone spindles of the balcony’s ledge. Tightening it until her fingers cramped, she pulled again. The rope held.
Satisfied with the knot she’d secured, Novalise tossed the rope over the balcony. Her stomach clenched when she realized it wasn’t long enough. The last length of draperies hovered about eight feet from the ground. The drop would be painful, but worth it if she could get away in time.
Already stars were peeking out from behind moonlit clouds, obscuring the courtyard in haphazard shadows. She calculated the distance from the palace to the forest’s edge. She would have to be quick and stealthy, using the cover of darkness to her advantage.
Two rough knocks sounded outside the door of the sitting room.
“Novalise?” Ariesian’s voice echoed from the other side. “Are you almost ready?”
“Just a moment,” she called, kicking off her shoes. The heels would only hinder her.
Hoisting the hem of her wedding dress, she lifted one leg over the edge of the balcony and peered down. Bile rose hot in the back of her throat, but she swallowed it, blowing out a shaky breath to steady herself. The ground was so far away, and the rope made from drapes swung lightly in the breeze, crushing her nerves.
“Nova.” Ariesian’s voice threaded with impatience and this time, he rattled the doorknob. “Novalise, unlock this door at once.”
“Damn,” she muttered, annoyed that her brother couldn’t see fit to give her a few more minutes to make her grand escape. “I said I just need another minute!”
“The ceremony is about to begin.” He pounded against the door again, firmer this time. “Everyone is waiting.”
Let them wait.
She dragged her other leg over the railing, teetering on the edge of the balcony on her tippy toes. The knocking on the door turned to pounding, with Ariesian’s voice bellowing from the other side. Fear sliced through her, but she ignored it. Snaring a fistful of fabric with one hand, she positioned the rest of it between her trembling knees, then hooked it around her ankles to give herself some leverage. The heavy velvet grew damp beneath the grip of her palms, sliding some, but she started her descent, shimmying down the side of the palace wall.
The summer breeze was stronger now, pulling her hair loose from its pins, and stinging her cheeks. Her gown whipped around her, tangling with her legs and the rope as she struggled to find purchase. The muscles in her arms burned, aching with exertion, and her legs were cramping. It took far more effort than she realized to become a runaway bride.
Something overhead cracked. Splintered. A rush of magic, of explosive power, illuminated the room above her.
Novalise’s head snapped up.
The door.
Ariesian had broken down the door.
“Nova!” His silhouette took form on the ledge, so broad he blocked out nearly all the shards of broken light from the room. He leaned over the balcony, his silver eyes glowing with intensity, the sapphire flecks blazing bright. “What, and I cannot stress this enough, the fuck are you doing?”
Novalise heaved a sigh and glanced over her shoulder. She was still about fifteen feet in the air, much too far to make a jump for it. But goddess above if her body didn’t feel like quitting on her already. She looked back up at her brother.
“I believe it’s rather obvious. I’m escaping.”
She saw it then, the slightest twitch of his lips.
She couldn’t remember the last time she saw him smile.
Ariesian rested his elbow on the stone railing, propping his chin on his fist. “And what shall I tell everyone if you succeed in this daring escapade?”
Novalise moved a few more inches down the rope, locking her ankles around the drapes even though her muscles protested in agony.
