Marrying Theodore seemed far less dire now. My family might have removed my option of choice, but it was nothing as horrid as what Elias’s family had done. There was no changing my mind now—Elias could not be seen with me under any circumstance. Even if we fled his estate together, there was still a chance Mr. Colburn would find us before we reached the capital. As much as I wanted to receive a royal favor, I couldn’t be the one to turn in the Oberon family. Elias needed to do it.
If I turned the documents in alone, Elias might still be coupled in with his family’s actions. At the same time, Elias and I cannot turn in the documents together, otherwise we might be caught and Elias could still be used to take the blame. The only safe way to protect Elias from his family was for him to expose them alone. The lord and lady would have a hard time pinning the scandal on their son if he was the one to bring it to the court, and the hunter had no reason to follow him like he did me. This was the only way.
My eyes rolled back into my head as the first official faint took me. The lack of fresh air and heat finally overtook my sense of awareness, forcing me into unconsciousness. I still managed to awake a few times but was unexcited to discover I was now graced with a splitting headache. I passed out again—thankful that my lack of awareness eased the pain—when a sudden gust of cool air refreshed my lungs.
Despite the fresh oxygen, my body still fought to remain benumbed. My attempts to rouse to life were officially thwarted when my aching body pressed into the most glorious bedding. As the softest mattress cradled my stiffened limbs, I drifted off into a calm, dreamless sleep.
I fluttered my lashes open at last, once again finding myself in Elias’s bed. This time, however, I wasn’t alone. Elias sat on a wooden stool at the foot of the bed with his head resting on his arms across the blankets. I couldn’t be sure if he was asleep or not, so I leaned forward to inspect further. Apparently, he wasn’t sleeping because my slight movements caused him to bolt upright. He turned his tired eyes toward mine, and they brightened. A worried smile crossed his face as he shifted his stool closer to my side.
“You’re alright!” he cheered. His warm hazel eyes held mine hungrily, as if he had been waiting for this moment all day. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t let you out sooner. Mr. Colburn spent the whole day tearing apart the house, and then Father had the audacity to invite him to stay for dinner.” He rolled his eyes.
I cast my gaze toward the window and took notice of the night sky spanning across the glass. “So he’s gone, then? What time is it?” I yawned sleepily.
Elias smiled sweetly as he passed me a stashed bowl of cut fruit. “Yes, he left right after dinner. I came back upstairs as quickly as I could to get you out, but you were already unconscious. I knew that blasted cabinet was a bad idea... You’ve been sleeping ever since, and it’s likely past midnight by now.”
I shoveled large chunks of fruit into my mouth as he spoke. Just when I thought I couldn’t appreciate this man more, he brought me snacks in bed.
“I thought it might be a good time to flee for the capital.” My heart sank as I recalled the revelation I’d had, but he carried on without notice. “It’s dark, and no one will notice at this hour. I kept the documents hidden in my coat during the entire search, so they’re safe with me. We could probably reach the city by dawn if we leave now.” His adorable eyes gleamed with excitement.
I wanted nothing more than to run off into the night with this man. I loved him, I truly believed I did. I couldn’t risk his entire life now, not when he had the chance to save himself. I swallowed hard, trying to compose myself for the dreaded truth.
“I’m sorry, Elias,” I said outright, “but I can’t go with you, not now.”
His face fell, and my heart with it.
“What do you mean?” His eyes widened with concern. “Are you hurt? If you can’t walk, I can carry you. We can bring Bear to scout the terrain.” He eyed me up and down as if looking for injuries.
My chest tightened as I took a deep breath. “No, I’m alright,” I tried to assure him. “My ankle is still fairly sore, but it will be fine. I cannot come with you because you need to do this alone.” I watched as his face crinkled into confusion.
“Alone? But the whole reason for reporting my family is for you to earn a royal favor.”
“You need the credit more than I do,” I explained calmly. “If I go with you and we get caught, then your family could easily turn the blame on you. All their crimes would simply fall on you, especially with the convicting evidence of you smuggling a runaway noble girl.”
“No, that’s not an option.” He shook his head furiously. “If I take all the credit, then how are you going to get a pardon across the border? I cannot leave you to the mercy of the hunter just to clear my name.” He reached out for my hand, but I pulled back with a sad smile.
“You don’t have any other choice,” I said softly. “It’s either risking me being forced into marriage or you being forced into jail. While I’ll admit, both are equally miserable, I won’t allow you to pay for crimes that are not your own.”
He stood to his feet, then ran his fingers through his hair. Frustrated huffs escaped his breaths as he paced the room. Finally, he sat back down heavily onto the wooden stool, which creaked loudly from the strain.
“Fine, but you have to promise me something...” he said with assertion. “You have to start running. Don’t wait for me to come back. As soon as I report my parents, I’m certain they’ll rush the house to collect them. If they’re suspected of harboring criminals, then they’ll probably search for any in the home, and I don’t want you getting caught.” He gingerly reached for my hand again, and I accepted it this time. “Run for the nearest town. I should have enough money for you to buy a horse. Don’t stop until you’ve reached Drancos. If the royal family offers me a reward, I’ll request the bounty hunter to be excused or for the law be changed... or something! I’ll do anything I can if it will bring you back to me.” Leaning forward on the creaking stool, he buried his face in my hands.
“I will,” I promised through misted eyes. It pained me just as much to separate, but it was for the best. “You just have to promise that you won’t end up in jail.” I let out a pathetic laugh, only for it to be choked out by tears.
“I promise.” He smiled sweetly, cupping my cheek to brush away my tears. “Come on, we need to get going.”
Together, we packed our bags, mine needing less attention since it was still full from the previous night. Elias carefully placed each of the documents inside a leather satchel. I helped him gently align each paper to ensure none were torn or heavily crinkled during his the journey. Once the bags were ready, Elias quietly whistled down the hall for Bear, who trotted gleefully into the room. I reflexively started scratching his ears, earning a playful smile from the creature.
“Take him with you,” Elias said firmly. “He’s an excellent tracker and will alert you if anyone draws near. He can help you stay out of the hunter’s path until you reach Drancos.” He smirked at the fluffy beast in my arms. “Besides, he likes you better.”
I laughed a little too loudly at his joke... a foolish mistake.
The all too familiar click of polished heels echoed eerily from the hallway. Elias and I stiffened at the noise. What was Lawrence doing walking the halls in the middle of the night? A soft knock sounded from the hallway, against the sitting room door. Neither of us made a move to respond to the knock. Maybe he would assume Elias was sleeping.
As we both remained petrified, my legs shook from sudden nerves. My ankle throbbed under the spastic shaking, causing my balance to falter. Without removing a hand from Bear, I slowly shuffled backward to the wooden stool by the bed. If I didn’t sit down soon, I might collapse, and that was the last thing we needed. Elias kept his eyes on me as I maneuvered toward the seat. He seemed to understand what I needed because he gave me a quiet nod of reassurance. I sat back on the stool, easing my full weight onto the creaking wood.
The leg snapped.
The most deafening crack resounded across the room, followed by the sound of my body hurdling onto the floor. Despite my best efforts, I let out a small shriek at the impact. Elias darted for me in a useless attempt to catch me, but it was far too late. I clapped my hand over my mouth in shock at what had just ensued. Nothing but silence followed for a tense moment..