Narrow Escape

Inside the carriage, Ophelia sat with the gruff-looking vampire, her hands clasped on her lap while she stared out of the small window of the carriage thinking how she was going to get out of her current predicament.

She had only come to earn some coins so her family could survive, who knew that the day would turn out this way where she now sat riding to the council.

As the carriage continued to move, so did the trees and grasses by the side of the road move, creating an endless mesh of green in Ophelia's eyes.

Her black hair tied in a loose bun threatened to loosen as the air blew on her face. She could feel the eyes of the man whom she dared not turn to look at, while at the back of her mind, she prayed not to turn into a snack for him.

Out of curiosity, Ophelia turned her head in time to catch the man's eyes fixed on her. She quickly averted her gaze, her mind drifting back to the shop.

What was it that Madame Rosie always asked them to deliver? She has always had her suspicions about the content of those boxes, and now today's unfortunate encounter has confirmed her fears. Where was Madame Rosie anyway? Ophelia questioned herself. If there was anyone who could save them, it should be her.

The carriage shook from side to side as it made a stop in front of the council's building, heightening the fear that enveloped Ophelia, her heart drumming in her chest.

"Get down!" The vampire shouted once more. The only thing he has been doing since he arrested them.

Together, Ophelia and the other workers six in number were taken inside the council.

Ophelia gulped, the imposing building of the council almost making her legs give in. Whatever will happen inside if found guilty, she didn't know how to take it.

Through many corridors, they passed, where they were finally led into a room that had nothing but benches where they all sat waiting for their judgement to come.

"Make sure to keep an eye on them while I go inform the council and see who will take up the case," The man ordered one of the men who bowed and stood at the door.

While the man was gone, Ophelia bit on her lower lip, her mind restless from what the outcome was going to be.

"You are scared," Ophelia heard a voice behind starling her. She spun around and seeing it was Mark she whispered, "Are you not scared, Mark? They can lock us up."

"They will not," Mark shook his head and assured, "We will just be asked a series of questions and that will be all. It isn't the first time it's happening."

"Are you certain of this?" Ophelia still wide-eyed with skepticism quizzed. She could hear the beating of her heart and, she feared it was going to alert the vampires in the building.

Vampires have always been the bone in the throats of humans. They saw them as blood-sucking demons who always exercised their power on humans, always seeing them as people beneath their status. If for any other person, she avoided them at all cost.

"Do not worry, you will see. They'll release us after some time, don't fret," The voice of Mark speaking brought Ophelia back from her reverie. At the same time, the man earlier returned saying in his usual loud and hard voice,

"You should worry. This isn't going to be like other times when you all will be set free. There is enough evidence against you all and not only that, Councilman Emlyn is the one in charge of the case. There is no escape for you all." The vampire asserted, his eyes crinkling with a wicked smile stretched on his lips.

"Who is Councilman Emlyn?" Ophelia whispered to Mark. The way the man had spoken about the man, he sounded like this person was an important figure who could be very strict and mean.

"He is the Lord's son. Lord Goryon Branwen. A pureblooded vampire whose status in the society is not to be messed with."

If it were possible, Ophelia's heart would have jumped out of her chest at the way it skipped a beat. "What?!" She exclaimed, wiping her palm on her lap.

"I am beginning to get worried," Mark confessed, a conflicted expression crossing his face. "Councilman Emlyn is known to be dangerous. A mysterious man feared by many even by some dukes too."

I am doomed! Ophelia exclaimed in her head and the guard beckoned on them saying,

"You are expected in the questioning room. Follow me," He ordered, walking out of the room, Ophelia and the other trailing behind him.

Now outside the room, Ophelia's eyes scanned her environment, looking for a possible loophole she could use to escape. Having racked her brain, she could only come up with the best possible approach to save herself.

Right at the same time, when the guard's attention diverted from them, Ophelia slipped into one of the rooms whose door was open dragging Mark with her. However, Mark couldn't make it inside on time as the guard caught the movement from the corner of his eye.

"Where do you think you are going?" The guard marched to where Mark stood, his eyes narrowing on him.

"I tripped," Mark simply replied, his expression not giving away anything. Suspicious, the guard walked into the room, his gaze moving in all corners.

Meanwhile, Ophelia hidden behind the door felt her breath hitch, lips quivering in fear when she saw the guard walk into the room. She held her breath, trying hard to still her beating heart so it wouldn't give her away.

"Move it!" She heard the guard shout, followed by the fading sound of his footsteps.

Ophelia heaved a sigh of relief for not being caught by the guard, but then, the fear still gnawed on her. Taking the opportunity, she walked to the room's window to check the height and luckily, the room was on the ground floor which made it earlier for her.

She rolled up the hem of her dress and quickly and quietly jumped out of the room, falling flat on the ground. Immediately standing to her feet, she turned to check her environment, fixing her expression and then hurried down the corridor which would lead her to the gate of the council's building.

In haste, her shoes clicked on the floor, her heart thumping in her chest as she rounded the corner and with speed caused by the blind spot bumped into someone.

"Ah," Ophelia winced, holding her forehead with her head bent as she didn't want to be recognized. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking at where I was going," She bowed and without waiting for whoever it was to reply, she continued on her way.

On the other hand, the narrowed dark red eyes of the person Ophelia crashed into followed her as she made her way to the gate in haste.

"Councilman Emlyn!" A voice called out, belonging to the vampire who was in charge of arresting Ophelia and the other workers. Coming to stand before Emlyn, he informed, "The culprits have been moved to the questioning room."

"Why do you look like you saw your dead father Mathias?" Emlyn remarked, staring at the man whose red eyes were faint in comparison to his dark ones, an indication that Mathias belonged to the lower class of vampires of those who were turned.

"I—I," Mathias stuttered. "One of the people we caught escaped. But I will surely find her as she couldn't have gone far and is still in the building."

Emlyn's narrowed eyes glinted with a flash of realization as his gaze went to the gates of the council building looking for the woman that bumped into him. But she was gone.

"Of, course, she is still in the building," Emlyn rolled his eyes. Mathias not getting the message nodded his head vehemently, agreeing to Emlyn's words only for the pureblooded vampire to add, "Dimwit," the look of relief on Mathias' face wiped off immediately.