Anything For Rachel – Episode 8
EPISODE_8
“Everyone stay close around your queen.” Octavia ordered the guards as we all hustled into the small room with the gold tiles that housed the elevator to Castrum de Petra. She pushed the button, and the doors slid open. “Sector one go, sector two swarm.” She directed and a handful of guards from in front of me moved onto the elevator while the ones who were left behind me, spread out around me while the elevator doors closed again.
“What are we doing?” I asked and Octavia turned to me.
She was gorgeous. Long raven hair, porcelain skin, pouty lips, and mesmerizing dark grey eyes that were almost too big for her face, but only made her even prettier. “We are going to take you to containment, and I will brief you there.” She said. “As I am sure you know, your arrival has created quite the buzz, but it isn’t all good buzz. Right now we are in class two lockdown, but we don’t have the manpower to enforce that for long, so we need to get you to safety, then we can lift the lockdown and go from there.” She explained as she tapped her red bottomed heels on the tiles impatiently as she waited for the elevator to come back.
“Containment?” Logan asked warily.
Octavia barely gave him a glance. “Yes, we need to keep our queen safe.” It was clear in her demeanor that she was not happy about Logan being here, and she wasn’t going to try to hide it. Logan rolled his eyes which only made her pinch her face up. She took a breath and looked back to me. “Your majesty,”
“Rachel, please.” I sighed.
She sighed too. “Yes, Rachel, when the elevator comes back up we will squeeze in and join the guards who are already waiting.”
My mind was still all jumbled, and I was beginning to get a headache from my panic attack earlier. “Ok.” I nodded. “What is a class two lockdown?” I asked. “I don’t remember ever having one of those when I was here before.”
She nodded her head quickly. “Yes, it is very rarely implemented.” She said. “It means all people who are not authorized to be out, should be in their rooms. Anyone wandering the halls at this point is considered an enemy to you, and trust me, you have quite a few, but you have more than enough guards.”
I nodded with her and she smiled when the doors of the elevator slid back open. “Let’s go.” I muttered unexcitedly to Logan. I honestly didn’t even care about what she had said about threats to me. I’m in big danger, but that’s just another day in Castrum de Petra. If I’m not in danger, I’m dead.
Even though I’m unaffected by the warning, Logan looked a little like he might be. He gulped and looked a little pale as we loaded onto the elevator, guards pressing in around us at all corners.
“Explosion in left wing.” A voice came through on a walkie-talkie.
Logan looked down at me with wide eyes and I turned to Octavia. She shrugged her slender shoulders. “Don’t worry.” She said dismissively. “That’s a good thing, really.” She nodded. “Just means they are taking the bait.” She smiled at herself, then looked over at Logan and me and sighed. “It was my idea.” She explained. “We’ve told certain people that you were going to be being held in a secure room on the third level of the left wing. That way any people who would try to harm you would be going there, and thus showing us who is against you so that they can be dealt with.”
Logan reached over for my hand and he held onto it tightly. Octavia gave me a look and shook her head quickly as she stared at me then looked down at mine and Logan’s intertwined hands. I pursed my lips as I slid my hand away from him and he looked down at me questioningly. I shook my head and he sighed loudly, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I’m sorry.” I whispered to him and his expression softened slightly.
The dinging began to slow and I knew we were getting close to stopping.
Octavia put her cold hand on my shoulder and narrowed her beautiful eyes. “Queens don’t apologize.” She said seriously.
I pulled my shoulder out from under her hand and stood firm.
“This one does.” I said plainly, looking evenly at her.
She smiled at me. “I see it now.” She whispered.
I furrowed my brows. “See what?”
She didn’t answer, she just shook her head as she smiled and counted to three for the doors to open up.
The first group of guards gathered around me as we got off of the elevator and went hurriedly up the black corridor waiting for the opening at the end that would put us out at the main elevators. Logan’s eyes were wild, flickering from here to there and back rapidly as he tried to take in everything around him. I knew how he felt, seeing this for the first time.
The wall split open and I stepped forward, amazement striking me just the same as I am sure it is for Logan.
Everything had changed.
Before the corridors had been dark, nothing but carved out paths throughout with stone walls and floors, but now it was beautiful. It was bright, and then walls were covered in white and tan marble, the floors too, and brilliant light fixtures lined the halls, making me feel like I was in a real storybook castle, not an underground cavernous castle for the undead.
“Beautiful.” I muttered as I was pushed along.
Octavia glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, then pulled a put a phone up to her ear. “Almost there.” She said into it. “Of course we are, everything is going as planned, and my idea worked, the traitors are all going for the left wing.” She grinned, still pleased with herself. “I told you.” She said. “Of course, she is fine with me. Do you want to talk to her?” She nodded once, then slid the phone into her pocket.
“Was that the king?” I asked aloof.
She eyed me again. “It was.” She muttered.
I fought back my growing annoyance that he didn’t want to talk to me obviously. I don’t want to talk to him either, but I do feel like he owes me that much. To talk to me after all this time and having me brought back here. I couldn’t help feeling even more pushed away than I already have for all these years. He was there, outside, with me, yet he didn’t come over. I glanced to my left at Logan and realized he could have been the reason he kept his distance then, but what excuse did he have to say he didn’t even want to speak to me?
“And when will we be seeing him?” Logan asked her. “I have plenty I’d like to say to that guy.”
I widened my eyes and Octavia and the whole group of guards stopped. “You won’t be.” She snapped. “And you’ll do good to remember what ‘guy’ has the last word on whether you live or die around here.” She said coldly. “Learn your place.”
I stepped in front of him, face to face with her. “And where exactly is your place?” I asked. “Because I don’t appreciate the way you are talking to him right now.”
She looked at me hard, but stepped back. “Let’s go.” She snipped and we all began moving again, this time without any more talking.
After a few minutes we reached a dead end, or at least what looked like one until Octavia stepped forward, yanking my wrist up and placing my hand on the smooth marble wall. I could feel the vibration under my palm and she put my hand back down at my side as the wall split open, exposing an older looking wooden door with a padlock.
Octavia took my hand again, placing a small key into my hand and I unlocked the door, pushing it open.
“Cromley, inside, everyone else, to your posts.” Octavia snapped and the men all dispersed.
Logan and I followed her into the room and I shook my head as I looked around. Dark blue silk hung down covering the walls, and there was a large canopied bed to one side of the room, a bathroom in the back, and a small kitchen area to the left.
I looked around and every surface in the room, the bedside tables, the dresser to my right, the small dinging table, everything, was covered in bouquets of red roses in gorgeous crystal vases, just like the
ones I had been receiving for my birthday every year. My eyes stung a little and I walked over to the kitchen area where there was a card sitting up on the counter next to one of the many vases. Underneath the paper was a small black devise with a tiny screen and numbered buttons.
I flipped open the card and sighed when I saw his handwriting sprawled neatly across the paper.
In case you still suck at cooking… (Patrick- #4850)
Such a simple and short sentence, but more than enough to make me want to curl up in the bed and hold the paper to my chest and cry. The second I closed my eyes I could see Calvin and I in our little honeymoon cabin. I’d been so determined to learn to cook, but I only ever produced runny potatoes, or burnt eggs.
He remembered.
“What is that?” Logan asked from across the room and I quickly tucked the paper back down under the little device and wiped away the single tear from my cheek before I turned around.
“Just the number for the kitchen if we need something.” I replied and I could feel the hard stare I was getting from Octavia, but I ignored her, walking over to sit on the bed, patting the spot beside me from Logan to join me. “You needed to brief us?” I prompted.
Octavia sighed, coming over to stand in front of Logan and me, while Cromley stayed standing in front of the closed door. “Yes.” Octavia nodded. “First of all, we didn’t really get to be formally introduced.” She said, taking hold of the bottom of her flowing black dress and she curtsied to me then smiled. “I’m Octavia, and I am going to be your handler for your time here”
“And how long will that time be?” Logan asked.
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She frowned at him. “We don’t know the answer to that yet.” She admitted. “It could be for a while.” She said, looking at me, not Logan. She pursed her lips and sighed. “Now, we weren’t expecting…your friend here.” She said annoyed. “So that you both know, this room is completely sound proof, but anywhere else you go, please try to remember that anything you say to each other will likely be overheard by others. You understand?”
I nodded. “People can’t know that we are together.” I said and she nodded once too. “Why exactly?” I asked politely before Logan had the chance to butt in about it.
Octavia pulled a chair over from the dining table and sat down in front of me, leaning back in the chair and crossing her legs. “The king has chosen to take the fall for your leaving.” She said.
I was trying to keep cool, but I snorted a laugh. “It
is his fault that I left.” I snapped.
Octavia rolled her eyes. “I am aware of the circumstances.” She sighed. “He told the council that he didn’t want to be married, and that when the dungeons were lost, he saw an opportunity to get rid of you.” She said bluntly. “He’s told the council that he was the sole person who took part in your leaving, and that you had no part in it. Because you had no way of returning, and it wasn’t your doing, he is moving that you be cleared of your charges for desertion.”
I chewed my lip. “That isn’t that far from the truth.” I shrugged.
“Exactly.” She nodded.
“How will Rachel be cleared?” Logan asked.
Octavia pursed her lips and tilted her head back and forth. “Well, she’ll have to attend the council meeting and plead her case. If you are cleared, you should be released, if not…”
“If not?” Logan snapped, starting to stand up until I pulled on his wrist.
“If the council were to decide that they think you are lying, then there would be a punishment, but I’m not sure what it would be.” She admitted. “Please, try not to worry about it though. Just be very careful, and be sure that you do everything you are told and you will be fine.” She assured me. “About Rose, she is being taken to a safe house in Britain. She should be reaching the first checkpoint any minute now, and when they do, you will be notified immediately. No contact until they reach their destination, but after that you can talk to her every day until this is all over.”
The thought of Rose flying off to another country, alone, on her first plane ride, broke my heart. Logan must have been feeling it too because he reached over, pulling my head to him and hugging it against his chest.
“She’s going to be alright, Rach.” He whispered. “I bet she is having a blast. You know how much she has talked about wanting to fly like the fairies.”
I laughed through my tears. “I hope Pedro thinks to mention that to her.” I said as I looked up into Logan’s kind eyes.
He nodded. “He will.” He told me. “I told him about it before we left just in case he was going to be taking her far.”
“I love you.” I whispered.
Octavia cleared her throat. “You’ll both have to stay here for a while, just as a precaution, to make sure we have weeded out all of the potential threats to you. After that, the king has insisted that you be granted total freedom to move about Castrum de Petra, and you’ll be given all the codes, keys, and maps for you to feel you are here on your own volition, not as a prisoner, but here to clear your name.”
“Really?” I asked softly.
She nodded. “He doesn’t want this to be like your last stay.” She told me. “You are not being forced to be here. If either of you would like to leave at any point, you’re free to do it.” She said looking directly at Logan, then she turned to me. “But if you do decide to leave, we can’t guarantee your safety, the people take desertion very seriously.”
I nodded my head. “I understand.”
Octavia stood up, fixing her dress. “Well, I have much to attend to, but should you need me, just dial #1-1-1-1 on the pager and I will come.” She smiled at me.
“How long are we being held here?” Logan asked as she walked for the door.
She twirled around. “A week at least.” She said unapologetically.
Loan looked angry, but to me that meant I had at least a week before I had to face Calvin and the council, which was a good thing.
“Hey,” I called to Logan, pulling him back over. “It isn’t so bad.” I smiled at him. “You said you wanted to hide away, just the two of us for a while, and although there is no beach front view here, we can still stay cuddled up in the bed all day.”
Logan looked down at me, the corners of his frown lifting up into a smile. “You’re right.” He said. “I’ll do whatever we have to to make sure that my girls are ok.”
“Good.” I smiled halfheartedly.
I saw Octavia and Cromley leave as Logan leaned down to kiss me.
One week.
I know more than most that one week is going to go by faster than I hoped.
One week until we’re face to face.
I rolled my eyes at myself and my stomach sank as I realized I was obsessing over Calvin while I’m kissing my fiancé. I cleared my mind and focused solely on the man in front of me who has never broken my heart into ten thousand shards.
Logan is my future now. That’s what I told myself over and over.
My heart only hurt more when i realized how hard I was having to try to convince myself of that.
Story_Continues
ANYTHING
FOR
RACHEL
