CHAPTER 20:IN A FIX

Ravenna ran as fast as her feet could carry her, the horror of what had happened finally dawning on her.

she couldn't believe she had seriously tackled the prince, it was a miracle he didn't call the guards on her.

The night breeze threatened to blow her hair loose, but it had been firmly packed upwards into a rough bun. Standing before the highest walls she had ever come across, Ravenna's resolve slightly shook.

' seriously how many more walls had they built '

As expected the royal palace was very huge, the dungeon alone far more large and expansive than she could ever imagine.

Her eyes hardened and swirled with unfathomable emotions as her small figure leapt into the air, under the dark starless sky with a sprint mid air, using the wall to push herself upwards, she twisted her whole body and jerked forward , jumping over the high walls before grabbing the top with her hands to slow her down.

She calculated the distance from the top of the walls before sliding down to finally jump off, almost crashing into a thorny bush.

She stood up straight, with panting breaths and hissed in pain as she began bleeding again.

' Oh no '

Ravenna had unfortunately re-opened her wounds again especially the one close to her abdomen.

ok maybe escaping now was a bad idea.

She slowly slid down the walls in exhaustion and pain. Though she could very well endure pain but she had her limits.

The fringes of her hair coming to stick to the sides of her sweaty temple, as she struggled to regulate her breathing.

" Captain " she heard the voice of someone, probably a soldier .

She quickly slipped into the shadows, sweat and blood slowly mixing to slide down her body to stain her dress as her heart continuously pounded in her ears.

" His royal Highness prince Caspian, has ordered for the release of the newly brought in slave " She heard the soldier say and her already bad ears rang

The fear of being caught finally fully enveloping her.

Now finding herself in a fix. Either to escape before they found her which was impossible in a place she was unfamiliar with, or she slipped back into the dungeon before they find out she had escaped.

Ravenna clenched her hands into a fist in distress,

She shouldn't have escaped so soon, but how would she have Known she would be released on the Same day . Ravenna thought she had been locked in there to die of starvation and rot to become food for pests.

She hadn't expected things to turn like this, her eyes squinted in fury of having to choose between fry pan and fire .

She had to choose wisely and the latter seemed like a smart thing to do...

Escaping now meant courting death as the guards would definitely realize she had gone missing before she could even go far.

Having made up her mind,. Ravenna slipped out the moment the soldiers walked away.

Now she had to get back before they do, her life depended on it.

She jumped the walls again, knowing the entrance wasn't an option as guards stood tall and guarded at every inch of it.

She couldn't catch their attention, not when her life depended on it.

She stumbled a little, as she landed on the ground, her feet making the lightest sounds. The walls were indeed high after all. It was however the biggest and first mistake Ravenna had ever made as she regarded herself as the master of stealth.

She prayed the guards close by didn't suspect anything, but what Ravenna didn't know was that the guards weren't as simple as she thought.

She wasn't the only one who could disguise. This soldiers and the guards were also Mages in disguise, not all but the ones behind her were one of them.

They had picked the sound of light shuffling step even though it had been subtle and brief.

" WHO'S THERE ? ! " The guard demanded his voice sending shivers down her spine. This would be the first time Ravenna feared the mere voice of someone.

It shook her whole core, her life was on the line after all.

The guards though couldn't see in the dark, they could still make out the figure of a shadow close to the high walls

" Stop right there " They chased.

Ravenna didn't stop, she fled faster than she has ever ran her entire life. She moved fast as light as the wind, jumping over a roof to make them loose track of her.

Fear gnawed her heart at the thought of being caught, she knew very well what they did to people like her.

All her life, she had never feared for her life like she did today. She had encountered so many dangerous situations but today was very dreading, with death so close that she could almost smell it, her whole senses hightened.

She couldn't count how many times her soul almost left her body, till she finally made it back to her cellroom.

It wouldn't have been possible if the guards still weren't asleep, it was strange but she wasn't complaining.

She crashed against the walls, exhaustion getting the best of her as she slid down into a sitting position. Her whole body damp with her own sweat, the lamp flickering every now and then with every laboured breaths she released.

" The lock " she heard a small voice that almost scared her to death, she jerked in surprise before turning to face the speaker.

it was a small boy, too small to be in a place like this.

whatever had he done to be put here....

He must have seen her when she escaped, why hadn't he alerted the guards

She wondered wearily assessing the boy,

The thought of him being an assassin or a spy crossed her mind and she squinted.

She had also started robbery at a small age too.

Those eyes, they seemed to contain so many secrets. His demeanor too calm for a child his age..

She caught him rolling his eyes and she raised a brow in amazement

was he mocking her for staring ?

" They're close, the lock " He said again this time pointing at the lock she had picked and her eyes widened in realization. She had totally forgotten . if the guards saw these they would know she had tried to escape.

She scrambled about, taking her pin again to set the lock back in place.

The sound of sturdy footsteps echoed in the already quiet dungeon and Ravenna's hands shook hurrying up, the lock made a small click sound and she breathed out in relief, before scooting to a corner not minding how dirty it was.

now wasn't the time to be picky with the environment.

The loud bang on the rods separating the prisoners from the outside startled Ravenna.

The soldiers were already staring down at everyone, sending shivers down their spine.

" Is she the one ? " The huge one amongst the guards questioned and his junior nodded.

Suddenly the lock she had delicately put back together, came loose and fell apart Rendering everyone silent

The guards glanced at each other wondering how the lock bcame this weak

It was a good thing they were there when it happened, else the prisoners would have escaped.

quickly she was brought out, Ravenna didn't struggle and just followed them.

The small boy's gaze following her till she was out of sight.

Fresh air hit Ravenna's face as she sucked in deep breaths but it quickly got stuck in her throat as soon as she witnessed the soldiers beating up the guards on duty.

" Unbelievable. Falling asleep on duty—what a disgrace " the tall soldier behind her clicked his tongue in disgust.

" Move "He barked harshly, shoving her forward. His thick arms and scarred face only amplified the pain of his push.

" They are just lucky no one escaped " The other one replied as they led Ravenna deeper into the palace.

Ravenna kept her expression neutral, masking her exhaustion behind a cold, detached stare. Despite the throbbing in her limbs, her mind remained sharp, committing every turn and hallway to memory. She didn't plan to stay a prisoner for long.

"So, this is the wench who caused all that trouble?" The taller guard sneered, his gaze sweeping over her disheveled appearance. "Doesn't look like much now."

"She had a lot to say yesterday," the other one said with a chuckle. "Guess a night in the cells knocked the fight out of her."

Ravenna ignored them, focusing instead on her surroundings. The further they went, the grander the architecture became—polished marble floors, tapestries of royal conquests, golden sconces lining the walls. They were deep inside the palace now.

When they stopped in front of an intricately carved door, the taller guard pushed it open and shoved her inside without ceremony. She stumbled but quickly steadied herself, her eyes darting around the room.

It was massive, illuminated by a cascade of sunlight filtering through towering windows. At the center stood a man dressed in fine silks, his back to her. She froze as recognition hit her like a lightning bolt.

The prince.

Her stomach churned as memories of that fateful heist flooded her mind—the ambush, his piercing gaze, and the narrow escape. But now, his attention wasn't on her. He seemed engrossed in a scroll laid out on a desk, discussing something in low tones with another man, the one who had slapped her.

Ravenna thought she had prepared herself for the worst, but obviously she had once again underestimated fate.

He suddenly looked up to meet her gaze and her breath hitched, he definitely was the one.

The very same prince they had ambushed and robbed.

' Why do the heavens love to mess with the her ???????? '