Page 111 of Captive Bride

“I’ll tell Isobel to get ready.”

Her bag is already packed, and so is mine. I’ve known that we would have to escape the building at some point. We do have houses all over the world.

Escape should be easy. It’s just a matter of getting out of the city. And it’s a matter of shutting this thing down.

I don’t need the Capulets looking for Isobel. I need her to be free of their clutches forever. And so I pull on my suit jacket and get up, getting ready to make our move.

Isobel’s waiting for me.

“Is it time, Tristan?”

I pull her into my arms. “It is. Hopefully, this’ll all be over soon.”

Escaping the building will be easy. We built a secret tunnel underneath this skyscraper a long time ago for instances such as these.

No one knows about it. We don’t even tell our bodyguards, just in case they’re spying on us. It’s a well-guarded Montague secret.

Merc and Benny come with us as I lead Isobel down through the tunnel. We come out at a far alleyway a couple blocks down, away from the cops and their prying eyes.

We get into the waiting limousine to go to the cathedral.

“What are we doing here, Tristan?” Isobel says.

“Apparently, this priest has a plan or something. I figured it was worth stopping by to see what he has to say. We have to make sure that your family doesn’t follow us, Isobel.”

I take her hand and lead her inside.

The place is huge and darkly-lit. There are candles at the altar and darkly-stained wooden pews. Sitting in the first row is the priest.

He turns around to greet us.

Merc and Benny check the place to make sure it’s safe.

I recognize this priest—Father Lawrence. He’s been my family’s priest for generations. Isobel appears to know him too.

“Father Lawrence?” she says to him.

He comes to greet us, “Hello, Isobel, Tristan. Thanks for coming. Now, let me take you to my back room where we can discuss things further.”

He leads us to a room behind the altar.

Once we’re inside, he whispers to us in hushed tones, “I know your predicament. And I know your love. And I think I have a solution for both of you.”

“Go on,” I say.

“Tristan, Isobel, you know that I’m familiar with both of your families. Isobel, I baptized you, after all. And I just want this dreadful war to end. I think the Capulet and the Montagues need to come together and put this thing to rest for good. That’s why I’ve been thinking about your situation. And I thought of a way to help you out.”

“Let me guess—you want money for this little plan,” I say to him.

“No, not at all. My intentions are pure, Tristan. I just want to help you.”

“How?” Isobel says.

“Well,” he goes on. “It’s a complicated plan. But if you hear me out, I think you might agree that it’s the best way.”

Isobel and I both look at each other, not knowing what to expect.

What could this old priest possibly have to contribute to our lives?

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