Page 138 of Fated to be Enemies

Forcing myself to be patient, I waited several minutes. Then, with a steady hand, I grabbed the wooden branch doorknob and opened it slowly, hoping not to make a noise.

There was no one outside.

I stepped into the hallway, looking left and right.

Empty.

Sweet.

Following my gut, I turned in the opposite direction of where I’d gone earlier with Orla. There had to be another way out of this place.

I scurried down the hallway, passing a few doors and holding my breath, waiting for someone to burst outside so I could scream for them to catch me. No one appeared.

A faint glow lit the end of the hallway, and I picked up my pace until I reached a large, arched wooden door.

This had to be an exit.

I clutched the wooden handle and pulled it open, then cringed, waiting for a creak or groan. It never came.

But the view outside had me catching my breath.

A gorgeous garden boasted flowers of every color, vivid even in the moonlight. Their sweet scents filled my nostrils, giving me a sense of peace I’d never experienced before.

The purple flowers glimmered in the darkness, while the yellow flowers reminded me of mini suns. The blue bell-shaped flowers were the color of a summer sky, but the pink flowers, which seemed to have flames swirling from their petals, called to me the most. They looked so magical. A tree that reminded me of a weeping willow rustled in a slight breeze.

Energy buzzed around me, blending with my soul and loosening the knot coiled in my stomach.

“I was wondering how long it would take you to come here,” an unfamiliar female voice said from behind me. “You won’t get very far.”

I froze, my blood turning to ice.

Chapter Six

Iturned, prepared to fight, but when I noticed the swords at her sides and the bow on her back, I knew there was no way I could win. Self-Defense 101—the best thing I could do was get the hell out of here while I could.

I raced deeper into the seemingly endless garden. If I could get enough of a lead, maybe I could escape her … even though I didn’t know where to go to even try to get home.

One objective at a time.

The person huffed behind me, her voice farther away. “That’s what I figured.”

I wanted to pump my fist in victory—I was actually making headway.

Lanterns lit the stone pathway bright enough that I could see without issue. Something blurred to my right, and my heart faltered. Before I could pivot, a person stood in front of me, feet set wide, blocking my path.

The swords were still sheathed at her hips, the bow wrapped around her arm the way I wore a purse, a quiver full of arrows sticking out above her back. She was beautiful in a different way than Orla and the others I’d met inside. Her long, dirty-blonde hair was twisted into braids, and her skin was fair with warm-pink tones.

The biggest difference was the warmth in her brown eyes.

“Let me go. You don’t have to tell anyone you saw me. I’ll slip away quietly.” I clung desperately to the hope damn near exploding in my chest that I could get through to her. I’d been around enough people to know when someone sincere crossed my path.

She sighed, and her shoulders drooped. The dark-gold metal of her armor clinked softly. “I can only imagine how this feels for you. I’m sure nothing makes sense, but letting you leave would be both futile and dangerous. Nothing good will result from your attempt to flee. The veil is closed.”

A cold realization gut-punched me. Hearing that from her made me believe that trying to escape truly was unattainable. My eyes burned, but I refused to cry. I’d done enough of that for the night. “So, I’m just supposed to stay here and be forced into a tournament where I’ll likely die.”

The irony wasn’t lost on me. I’d spent so much of my time keeping people at arm’s length to protect myself, only to land in another fucking world and die. There was no way I could’ve prepared myself for that.

“If you want to, give up.” She shrugged and took a step back, the lantern illuminating her front side and emphasizing the thorns and petals designed on her armor. “Or we could train together.”

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