Chapter 31


    Inside the castle, I nibbled nervously on the strawberries on my way back up to my room. When I got to


    my bed, I sprawled across the bed and pulled out the phone. I wondered if it I could use it to phone my


    mother again and decided against it.


    I’ll be home soon, I’ll talk to her then.


    Night time rolled around faster then I had imagined and before I knew it, I was awakened by the suns


    rays of light beaming through my window. I looked around in a sudden panic wondering if I had feel


    asleep before hiding the phone. It was by my face, under the pillow. I checked to see if I had any


    missed calls from Luna but I didn’t.


    My shower took longer then it usually had and I thought about how this time could really be thest


    time that I would be in this castle. If everything went right, Dimitri would meet me at the tunnel with the


    castle car at around eight and from there we would make our way to Oakridge, where Luna would be


    waiting for us.


    I wondered if after that, she would go back to New York with Dimitri. I wondered what would happen if


    Damon find out , if he would take Dimitri away back to the vige or maybe even kill him for running


    away in the first ce. I wondered if his history with Luna would effect that in any way.


    The image of him twisting the wooden sword inside of the jester flickered in my mind again and I


    flinched. I couldn’t imagine how Luna would feel if that were to happen to Dimitri.


    Most of all, I wondered how the Ritual of Obliteration would happen. If it was anything like the first time,


    I would drink from a goblet and then slip into a deepa. I’d awaken the next day having no memory


    of the entire thing.


    What would happen if I asked Luna to let me go home, without preforming the ritual? Did I want to


    remember? Would the Council or the King and Queene after me if they found out I returned back


    to my normal life having kept my memory? Did I want to take the chance?


    Did I want to leave without finding out who it was that marked me with the Mark of Eros? Did I really


    want to forget Damon?


    I turned the hot water knob all the way and focused on the painful jolts of heat on my skin. I didn’t want


    to keep overthinking, I just wanted to get out of here and if that meant forgetting all about Damon then


    so be it.


    I got out of the shower and nibbled on my breakfast. At around six pm, I got a visit from Meredith.


    She ran over to where I was on the bed and engulfed me in a tight hug,” you’re back!”


    I hugged her back, feeling a sudden wave offort drape over me,” I’m back.”


    She pulled back and sat on the bed beside me,” why are you back?”


    I shrugged,” the witch that Damon took me to see in New York, she said I had the Mark of Eros, she


    said she couldn’t help me without pissing off the witch gods.”


    Her expression turned into confusion,” you can’t have the Mark of Eros, you’re a human.”


    “Apparently it’s something that’s decided by fate, or the gods or whatever-“


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    “Yes that’s true, but there was never an Underworld god that destined a human and someone from The


    Underworld to be together, especially not with the Mark of Eros.”


    I shook my head in confusion,” I don’t understand.”


    “Either the witch lied to you, or there is something someone isn’t telling you.”


    “She couldn’t have been lying, Xavier’s mate, Asia, she’s a witch too, she said the same thing.”


    Meredith took my hands in hers and stoked them lightly,” I’m not an expert dear, but I suggest that you


    go back to those witches and have a talk.”


    I took a deep breath in and decided to spill,” I’m escaping, tonight, I’m getting out of here.”


    Meredith remained silent for a couple of seconds her expression remaining ck before finally replying


    with,” how?”


    “The witch, Luna, she made me a deal in New York, she has a lover in the vige, Dimitri-“


    “The boy that sells fruit?”


    I nodded,” yes, if I deliver him to her, she’ll do the ritual and I’ll be free to go back home-“


    “How are you going to get yourself and that boy out of Woodbridge?”


    “Last night I stole the keys to the castle car, Dimitri has them now, tonight he’ll drive the car to the


    tunnel behind the castle, it connects inside I just don’t know where, Luna said she’ll direct me, she gave


    me a phone-“


    “The tunnel is how the brothers were able to sneak you into the castle your first night here, I’ll show you


    where it is.”


    I was both shocked and relieved by her reply, I was grateful that she was willing to help me. Part of me


    had expected her to dart for the door and alert the closest guard.


    “Dimitri and I will drive to the next town over, Luna is going to be there, and I’m not sure what’s going to


    happen after that.”


    I could tell that there was concern in her eyes as she gripped my hands tighter,” I’ll take you to the


    tunnel at eight, and I’ll go back and distract the guard at the gate until you’re far enough.”


    I nodded and gripped her hands back,” thank you.”


    “Are you sure he’s going to be there?”


    I nodded again,” I’m positive, Luna and Dimitri are in love, there’s no way he wouldn’t do this for her.”


    “Okay, then I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you get out of here safely.”


    I pursed my lips and asked nervously,”e with me.”


    She smiled sadly,” I don’t know anything beyond Woodbridge.”


    “I could help you out, we’d figure it out-“


    She cut me off with a kiss on my forehead,” I appreciate the offer Holly, but my family is here, I’m native


    by blood, my life began and will end here.”


    I held back the tears,” Okay, I’m going to miss you.”


    “Save your goodbyes for the tunnel.”


    “Okay.”


    “I’m going to go get somebody to deliver some food up here, I’ll meet you by the gates to the garden at


    a little before eight?”


    “Okay,” I muttered and watched in sorrow as she got up and exited my


    I felt the phone ring under my pillow and reached for it.


    Luna.


    I answered it without hesitation,” Hello?”


    “Holly,” Luna’s voice sounded nervous,” are you ready?”


    “Yes, I’m ready.”


    “Good, Dimitri’s going to meet you at the entrance of the tunnel with the car, do you know how to get to


    the garden gate?”


    “Yes but I don’t need directions there, there’s a maid here, she’s going to show me-“


    “Holly-“


    “We can trust her, I promise.”


    She stayed silent for a couple of seconds before replying with,” okay, once you get to the car, you take


    over the driving, Dimitri isn’t too good, he’s hardly driven before.”


    “Okay, I can do that.”


    “He’ll direct you through the woods towards the main border, it’s about an hour south, there will be a


    couple guards stationed there, keep the windows up and keep driving they shouldn’t stop you.”


    “And if they do?” I asked, already knowing the answer.


    “They won’t,” she insisted,” just keep it cool, you’ll see a sign for Oakridge. I’ll be waiting about ten


    miles past that.”


    “Are we staying in Oakridge or going back to New York?”


    “We’ll go back to New York, and we’ll figure it out from there.”


    I nodded,” Okay, I-I’ll see you soon?”


    “Holly, be strong.”


    “You too.”


    I hung up the phone feeling nothing but doubt and anxiety. I had a feeling that something somewhere


    was bound to go wrong somehow.


    Just as Meredith had promised, about twenty minutester another maid walked in with a tray of food. I


    thanked her and ate away at the fruit, trying not to let myself overthink again. When seven pm rolled


    around, I darted out of bed and towards the door. In the hallway, I caught sight of Damon approaching


    me.


    Shit. Fuck.


    I definitely couldn’t face him now, now an hour before I nned on escaping.