The lead guard smirked, clearly enjoying Gale's rising tension. His two companions stood silently at the door, their stony expressions giving nothing away. The dim light from the torch flickered again, casting eerie shadows against the stone walls.
“You’ll learn soon enough,” the guard replied cryptically, his eyes gleaming with cold amusement. “But for now, you needn’t concern yourself with such things. We have time.”
Gale's mind raced. "Time," the guard said. Time meant something was going to happen. And that meant Gale still had a chance to act.
Despite the throbbing pain in his skull, he focused on his surroundings. The stone walls were bare, save for a single window too high for him to reach. The rope around his wrists was tightly wound, but it wasn’t unbreakable. His ankles were bound too, though his feet weren’t as securely tied as his arms. He had a limited range of motion, but he wasn’t completely helpless.
He had to be smart.
Gale took a shallow breath, forcing himself to calm down. He’d been in worse spots before. His mind, still a little fuzzy, was sharp enough to spot a detail. One of the ropes securing his wrists had frayed slightly at the edges. If he could just work it loose, he could free himself.
But the guards. The guards would be watching.
For now, his only hope was to buy himself some time. Keep them talking, keep them distracted. Maybe he could find an opening.
"So, what's the plan then?" Gale asked, his voice steadying, laced with a touch of sarcasm. "You’re going to torture me until I beg you for mercy? Or is it something more... elaborate?"
The guard’s eyes narrowed at his taunting tone, but he didn’t react immediately. Instead, he just leaned in closer. "We’ll find out soon enough whether you’re made of stone or sand, Gale. The truth doesn’t change, no matter how you fight it."
His voice was almost a whisper now, as if he were savoring the moment, playing with Gale’s frustration.
Gale kept his eyes fixed on the man, but his hands were working slowly behind his back. The rope was thick, but frayed at one point. If he could pull it tight at the right angle, he might have just enough slack to work his way free. His wrists were sore, but he ignored the pain, focusing on the task at hand.
As the lead guard straightened up, one of the others stepped forward, a heavy boot scraping against the stone floor. The sound echoed in the small chamber, and Gale's pulse quickened. This was his moment.
The stocky guard, the one who had remained mostly silent until now, was looking at the torch on the wall, his hand instinctively reaching for his weapon as the lead guard shifted his attention back to Gale. He was careless.
Gale moved fast. With one sharp tug, the rope gave way, just enough for him to slip his hand free.
It was a small victory, but it was enough to give him a shot.
In the same motion, Gale kicked out with his legs, sweeping them against the post to which his feet were bound. The sudden force threw the stool he was tied to off balance. It clattered to the floor, the sound loud enough to cause the guards to flinch. The lead guard turned toward the noise, instinctively reaching for his sword.
In that split second of distraction, Gale’s hand shot out, grabbing the nearest guard's boot and yanking him off balance. The stocky guard crashed to the ground with a muffled grunt.
The lead guard snarled. "Get him—"
But Gale was already moving. With his hands now free, he used the momentum of the fallen stool to propel himself up, tackling the tall guard with the scar down his cheek. The man was taller, but Gale was faster. They both crashed to the ground, the guard’s weapon skittering out of his hand as Gale slammed his elbow into the man’s throat, forcing him into a stunned silence.
The stocky guard was struggling to his feet, his expression furious, but by then, Gale had already grabbed the fallen sword from the scarred guard. With a quick motion, he swung the blade up, using it to slice through the remaining ropes around his feet.
The room erupted in chaos. The lead guard lunged forward, drawing his own sword, but Gale was quicker. He kicked out, his foot connecting with the man’s gut with enough force to send him reeling backward. The sword skittered from his grasp, leaving him momentarily stunned.
The stocky guard, now armed, advanced cautiously, but Gale was ready. With a flick of his wrist, he slashed downward, forcing the guard to step back with a hiss of pain as the blade grazed his arm.
Gale didn’t wait for the next move. He sprang toward the door, his feet hitting the stone floor in quick succession as he dashed through the narrow opening, into the hallway beyond.
He was free. For now. But he knew the clock was ticking. The guards would be right behind him, and the odds were still stacked against him.
His heart pounded as he sprinted down the narrow corridor, his pulse a steady thrum in his ears. There had to be an exit. There had to be.
And with every step, the question gnawed at him: What did they want? What truth were they after?
But there was no time to answer that. Not yet.
Gale's breath came in sharp bursts as he tore down the narrow stone corridor, the clatter of his boots echoing off the walls. His heart pounded in his chest, the adrenaline surging through him with every step. He could hear the distant shouts of the guards—angry, panicked. They were regrouping, no doubt, and they would be on him in moments.
He didn’t slow. There was no time for hesitation. His mind raced ahead, mapping out the maze-like interior of the castle, the labyrinth of hallways he’d once traversed with ease. The stone walls felt like they were closing in on him now, the flickering torches casting eerie shadows that seemed to shift with malicious intent.
Gale rounded a corner, his fingers brushing the cold stone of the wall for guidance. A door loomed ahead, slightly ajar, a sliver of light spilling out from within. He didn’t think twice. He bolted toward it, pushing the door open with his shoulder and slipping inside.
It was a grand hall, dimly lit by the flickering flames of an enormous hearth on the far side. The air was thick with the scent of woodsmoke, and tapestries draped the walls in muted colors. A large table dominated the center, covered with papers and maps—strategies, plans, no doubt. But none of that mattered now.
He needed to move.
Gale’s boots scraped against the floor as he sprinted across the room, hearing the faint, metallic clang of armor drawing closer. They were coming. He could feel it. He had moments, maybe less.
His eyes darted around the hall, searching desperately for an exit. A window, a door, anything. His pulse raced as the sound of footsteps grew louder, closer. Panic gripped his chest, but he forced himself to think, to stay focused. He couldn’t let them catch him here.
Then he saw it—a narrow staircase leading up to a second level, hidden behind a tapestry. Without thinking, he dashed toward it, praying it wasn’t another dead end. He reached the base of the stairs and pushed the tapestry aside, climbing quickly, his heart hammering in his chest.
He didn’t look back, not even once. He couldn’t afford to. Each step felt like it took an eternity, but at last, he reached the top and burst into another hallway. This one was quieter, more isolated, and that only made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
His eyes scanned the hall, his senses sharp. His mind still screamed for an escape, for answers, for some way out of this mess.
And then—there. A door at the end of the hall, wide open. The sounds of the guards’ pursuit faded just a little as he sprinted toward it, desperation and hope mingling in his chest.
Gale pushed through the door without hesitation, entering a room bathed in soft, golden light.
For a moment, everything seemed to freeze.
"Adeline!"
His eyes darted around the room,glaring at the other man,returning back to Adeline with a mix of emotions.Pride,Joy,Fear.
Sunshine with a Solar Eclipse
