Page 57 of The Truth Between

Once again, I found myself dressing in dark clothes and layers to help protect me against the cold. It was also to make it harder for anyone to see me in case Soren had increased his level of security around the place due to when I tried to escape the first time. I eyed my black gown that I’d tossed on the floor of the closet after I’d been shown this room and thought about how far I’d come since Soren had kidnapped me.

But I was determined to look forward and not back. I had some things I needed to accomplish, and I needed to do so.

I made sure to grab the phone and place it in the pocket of my hoodie for safekeeping. I also had my wallet and credit cards that Soren had given me back, as well. Once I was ready to go, I cautiously opened the bedroom door and slipped out into the hallway.

Instead of heading toward the main staircase, I walked back toward Soren’s room, but before getting to his doorway, I opened a door that was just to the left. It was pitch black, so I took the phone out and used it as a flashlight to guide me down the stairs. According to Aria’s text, this was the back stairway that would lead me to what would essentially be another part of the basement, hopefully without being seen.

With every step I took, the wood creaked under my feet, making me cringe at the sound. I could only hope that, with how late it was, no one in the house could hear me. I hoped that I wasn’t making the wrong move.

Once I’d reached the base of the stairs, I found myself in an unfamiliar hallway. Large wooden doors lined one side, but I wasn’t sure where it led. I double-checked Aria’s text messages and I turned to my right, where I could make out the faint outline of a larger door. Aria told me to go through this door, so I did.

I used my phone to shine light onto the new area and found myself in a wine cellar. Rows upon rows of wooden racks filled with bottles of wine stretched out before me. Soren had never mentioned he had one, and I wondered if that was purposefully left out to avoid having me ask to explore it. After all, if Aria was right, I might have discovered how to get out of here.

Using my makeshift flashlight, I tried to find another door to go through to get out of here. I walked around the room until I found another wooden door with rust on it. Aria’s message told me to walk down the long hallway on the other side, and within a couple of minutes, I should be able to make my way outside. It was time to see if she was right.

I breathed a sigh of relief when the door opened without issue, and I stepped inside. It was very clear that this hallway wasn’t nearly as well kept as the rest of Soren’s mansion because it was filled with spiderwebs and who knows what else. But if this was the way that I was going to get to freedom, then so be it.

As I walked through the corridor, I tried not to think of what could be hanging around here. I turned when I heard the sound of liquid dripping down from a leak, but I refused to investigate. I jogged the last few steps and blew out a stream of air when I’d made it to the other side of the hallway.

I opened another door and climbed a few more stairs that led to a hatch. I used the phone to find the lock and I pushed once and then twice before the doors flew open and a rush of cool air ran across my face.

I was outside, and from the looks of it, I was all alone.

Holy shit. I’d done it.

I was free.

I climbed out and closed the doors behind me, not worried if the sons of bitches flew open after I was gone.

A gust of wind blew past my face as I turned around and saw just how far Soren’s home was from where I was currently standing. I was still apparently on his property, but I was a decent distance away from his house now. However, I needed to keep going.

I checked Aria’s phone once more before I started jogging in the direction I thought she wanted me to go. I could see that I was coming up on a major road, and that only encouraged me to push myself harder.

I didn’t know how long I’d been traveling, but I did know that I was moving farther away from Soren’s mansion, and it wasn’t until I saw a dark sedan sitting in the distance that I allowed myself to fully embrace the idea that I was getting out of here.

The moment our eyes met through the windshield, I felt a complex mixture of emotions well up inside me. Relief washed over me like a huge wave, crashing against the other emotions in my body.

Aria leaned across the console to throw the door open, and I got into the passenger seat of her car. I swear I didn’t breathe until Aria turned the car on and pulled away from her parking spot. My chest tightened as I glanced out the window, watching as Soren’s mansion faded into the background.

It took me a moment to gather my bearings so that I was finally able to speak. “Thank you… for everything,” I said quietly, turning to face her.

“You’re welcome. But you have a lot of explaining to do, Iris,” she replied, her eyes flickering over to meet mine for a brief moment before returning to the road ahead.

35

IRIS

The car ride quickly devolved into an awkward moment as silence passed between Aria and me. She continued driving to who knew where while my leg bobbed up and down because I was nervous as hell.

“Where are we going? I assume not back to Westwick’s campus. Then we can talk about all of this.” She gestured to me, and I sighed.

I was thankful that Aria chose to speak instead of waiting for me because we would probably still be sitting here in silence.

“Nope. There’s nothing for me there right now.”

A part of me wanted to tell her to take me to Gran’s, so I could see and explain everything to her, but that wasn’t possible or safe. Right now, time was precious, and we only had a limited window to do what we needed to do.

That is, if Aria was willing to do so.

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