“The medics are politically neutral, so they won’t harm them. They’ll care for your parents if they find them. But you, your parents, were firm supporters of the governor. The insurgents will use you to sway more people. We have to go.”
“No.”
“Star.”
“How do you know my name and who my parents are? I don’t even know your name.”
Right then, a building nearby exploded much like the mansion had. Screams rose up from the medical tents, and the stranger reached for me as I hopped to my feet, tugging me in the opposite direction.
“They’re bombing again!” I screamed, but the stranger kept hold of me until we were far down the block and a couple streets over, utilizing the cover of alleyways. When we neared the edge of the city and I was nearly out of breath, I pulled away from him.
“Stop! I can’t breathe!” I leaned against the wall before the stranger tugged me under an overhang and watched for the airplanes and helicopters we could hear in the distance.
“We must stay out of sight.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me your name.”
He turned, his clear eyes fathoms deep. “My name is Clyde.”
“Clyde?” Somehow, the name fit, but the more his eyes stared at me, the more I relaxed. “My parents… what are we going to do? I can’t go home.”
He reached out, took my hand in his, and gave it a firm squeeze. “I know. We’ll go to my home. It’s far from here and safe. Hidden. Do you trust me?”
What an odd thing to ask. Yes, please, take me to your isolated house in the middle of nowhere, serial killer. I shook my head.
“That’s okay. I wouldn’t trust me either.” He winked, squeezed my fingers once more, and motioned us forward. “Shall we? I’ll tell you all about it on the way there. Just have to stop for supplies and my motorcycle first.”
“Did you say motorcycle?” I gasped. We headed along the alleyways, dodging any movement or people. Soon enough, near the edge of the city, he whipped out a key and opened a door leading into an industrial-looking building that had been converted into flats. Peering down the quiet hallway, I smiled. He had a quaint apartment that took up the first floor. As he led me inside and pulled off his dirty jacket, I sighed and slid down into the worn but clean sofa near a cozy fireplace.
Clyde bent and lit the logs while I leaned forward and warmed my freezing hands. I still wore my ruined red dress from the night before and a tweed jacket the medics had handed me after Clyde had pulled me from the wreckage.
“I have no clothes.”
“My sister leaves a trunk full of stuff for when she visits. I’m sure she won’t mind if you take some. She’s not here. She prefers to stay in the country house.”
I perked up. “Country house?”
“That’s right. We’re heading there as soon as we freshen up and grab some food for the road. The bathroom is down the hall to the right. Take a shower. The dirt is caked on you. Can’t walk around looking like death.”
I peered down at my clothes, realizing I looked like a zombie in my torn and filthy clothes. Standing, I peered into the trunk of clothes and chose a sensible outfit along with worn leather shoes and a nice warm jacket. If his sister was in the country, I doubted she’d miss them.
After I cleaned up, I ate a meager meal of cheese, crackers, and canned soup. Though it was good, I barely tasted it, my thoughts on my family. My nerves were fried; the regular passing sirens seized my heart. I wondered if the insurgents had the police in their pocket. I’d have to ask Clyde.
He emerged from showering and threw me a smile. With his long hair, damp and partially pulled back, his face stood out, with dark, thick eyebrows framing his gleaming eyes.
“You look beautiful. No more rubble.” Clyde threw me a look that made my insides turn to mush, and I looked away, blushing.
“Thank you.”
“Ready to go?”
I nodded.
“How’s your arm?”
“Really sore.”
“You okay to hold on to me on the motorcycle?”
Again, I nodded, turning even more scarlet as I realized I was going to have to grip onto him.
“All right, we have to go downstairs.”
Wait… what?
He squeezed my hand tightly as he waited, his blue eyes gleaming. He made my heart race, though I wasn’t sure exactly why. He was sweet and handsome, unlike the other suitors I’d met.
“Come on. We’ve got to go.” He led me toward the basement, where he moved several things until he unearthed a wooden door. Slipping a key into it, he unlocked the door, stepped in, and waited for me.
I peeked inside. “What’s this?”
“It’s a network of tunnels underneath the city. It gives you access to any place anywhere in the world. It houses the gears, mechanisms, pipes, and engineering of the entire planet. The world isn’t just a natural thing. Quite interestingly, it’s mostly man-made.”
I peered down the softly lit tunnel. It appeared that branches broke off from the long hall every now and then. Clyde pressed a bright red button, locking the door behind us. Gears whirred and clicked until silence filled the space once again.
“What did you just do?”
“I made the door disappear on the other side.”
“How?”
“There are many things you never learned about this world, living on your high horse for so long. Believe me, there’s much to learn, not only about the engineering and mechanical things running the world, but also magic.”
He stepped farther into the tunnel and waved for me to follow him. Okay, he was super smart, handsome, and super weird. But that didn’t stop me from liking him any less. Shaking my head, I followed close behind him, slipping my hand into his and letting his fingers envelope mine. It sent a thrill up my spine and warmed me from the inside out. Following Clyde around in the underground was far better than getting shot. If only my parents were with us.
A motorcycle sat waiting ahead. Dread grew in my stomach as I realized he intended to ride it through the tunnels.
“How do you know where you’re going?” I strapped on the helmet he offered and slipped my arms tightly around his waist. I would not let go. I’d never ridden a motorcycle, but I watched his movements to learn.
“It takes a little experimentation. Some doors are locked, but most open out into the world beyond our city. You’ll be surprised exactly how far these tunnels go, but I’ve been using them with my parents since I was a toddler. I can pretty much tell you how to get anywhere.”
I sucked in a breath, impressed. He seemed confident enough, so I just nodded. His hand clasped around mine as he revved the engine, spinning the tires as we took off. I felt safe with him, safer than I ever had before.
Chapter 5
Star
The ride through the tunnels, invisible to anyone’s eyes, went by more quickly than I’d thought, jarring my senses more than I’d have liked. My legs, bottom, and arms were numbingly sore by the time we pulled up to the door leading to a quaint cottage set in the middle of the woods far from any civilization. I would have panicked if not for the sounds of laughter sounding from above the basement we’d entered.
Thank goodness there were more people. If it’d been Clyde, alone… let’s just say, the serial killer idea drifted back into my thoughts, and I shuddered.
“Are you cold?”
I nodded. The ride there hadn’t been warm, but Clyde’s body had blocked the chilled air, so it’d been pleasant. Holding him had been one of the most thrilling things I’d ever experienced. His scent of woodsy cedar dusted with spicy pumpkin made my senses perk. He was like sipping hot chocolate on a winter’s day, and I craved to feel that again. This could get dangerous.
“Come on. My mom will have something hot and delicious to warm your soul.”
Clyde stepped ahead, the cool air snapping into the space he’d vacated, and I craved his proximity again. Without his distraction, the cold
reality hit me hard, and a sob slipped into my throat as images of my parents filled my mind.
Shaking it off, I stepped into the cottage, my mouth dropping wide open in awe. It was like walking into a fairytale kitchen. A row of pies on cooling racks were lined up on one side of the counter. Bread loaves sat on wooden blocks, also cooling, and the whole space smelled divine. The meager meal of dried jerky and nuts I’d eaten when we’d stopped midway to stretch was all but gone. I was famished.
“Everyone, this is Star Rickton, the Head Engineer’s daughter. Star, this is my family.” He waved toward the woman by the oven, and she made her way over, wiping her fingers on her apron. “My mother Elle, my father Maris, and sister Fran.” The girl he introduced looked like Clyde but years younger, around fourteen. I reminded myself to ask Clyde how old he was, but I believed him to be near my own age of seventeen.
“Hello.” I waved and smiled warmly. Clyde led me to the table, where Elle plopped heaping plates of food in front of me along with a tall glass of water.
“Eat up, my dear. I just finished cooking and started on my soups for the month. Everything will just get thrown into cold storage if I don’t feed it to you. Frozen soup is good, but fresh is best!”
I grinned widely, reached out and scooped mouthfuls of the comfort food straight into my mouth. I could eat this for days, including the fresh, hot rolls she offered with sweet, creamy butter.
Out in the middle of nowhere, I was eating better than I had in years. My parents would’ve loved this. I nearly choked as my thoughts ran wild, and Clyde game me a swift pat on my back.
“Slow down. You don’t want this to be your last meal.”
“Sorry, I just… my parents would’ve enjoyed this.”
Elle slid into the chair next to me as Clyde leaned in.
“I’m so sorry to hear about your family, Star. They were quite prestigious. We knew this attack was coming, but no one would listen to us. I wish we’d been near so we could’ve evacuated your family.”
“You knew of this attack?” I swung my eyes toward Clyde. His darkened features told me the truth. “But why would no one listen to you? Did you tell my parents?”
“Yes, my dear,” his mother started. “We did. They all told us we were trying to create an uprising, stir up the crowds. We weren’t, I swear it. But they disregarded our warnings. Your parents were among those who just didn’t want to believe.”
I could understand that. Hell, I barely believed it. I stared at my half-eaten lunch, my stomach now in knots. I could no longer eat.
“I’m tired.” I closed my eyes, but there were no more tears. I’d cried too much already. I would avenge my parents, but how? I had to gather my wits.
“Come, you can take my room. I’ll take the couch tonight.” Clyde held out his hand, and I took it, too out of it to even see where we were going. He led me through the house, down a hall and into a quaint room. It felt cozy but was bigger than it seemed. A large bed sat in the middle, made up with smooth, worn quilts. This place was stocked, that was for sure, and it made me wonder how long they’d known about the attack.
Clyde pulled back the covers, went to the dresser, and took out a nightgown. “Extra clothes are stored in this dresser. Mine are in that one.” He pointed toward another dresser on the other side of the room. “Try to get some rest. Let me know if you need anything.”
I nodded. “Clyde?”
“Yes?”
“How long have you known of the attack?”
He frowned, his eyebrows furrowing. “About six months. Like my mother said, we tried our best, but no one listened to us. They labeled us alarmists… paranoids. My father built this cottage a year ago, for vacations, but we converted it into a bunker.”
I hung my head, my long brown tresses trailing down my shoulders. “We rich people are such fools.”
“Nah, just blinded to the world.”
“You could’ve tried harder to warn everyone. I saw no posters, no TV spots, no meetings. You didn’t do enough. You probably wanted the regime to die.”
His sadness made my heart ache. I bit my tongue, for all the good it did. “I’m sorry, Star. I promise we’ll make it right. Good night.”
He bowed then closed the door behind him, and I dressed in the simple nightgown. The warm, soft bed made it easy to fall asleep, but my dreams were filled with screams and explosions. Amid all of it was a pair of blue eyes and a face framed with a thick, pointed beard, a snarl on his pink lips. Lord Thrushbeard. Poor guy was probably dead, too. If I’d married him, what would life have been like? Horrible, that’s it. And if I’d listened to my parents and stayed to flirt with him, I’d be dead.
My empty heart ached long into the night.
Chapter 6
Star
I awoke feeling like I’d never be all right again. I didn’t recognize my surroundings, and it took several minutes of blinking in the dark to remember I was in Clyde’s cottage. Sitting up, my heart pounding, I swiveled my legs off the bed and hung them over the edge.
I had to get back. I had to save my parents.
I dressed in the clothes someone had laid out for me then pulled on my boots and jacket before slipping out into the darkened house.
Where was I going? I snatched some bread rolls and dried meats from the family’s well-stocked kitchen, along with a few bottles of water, and put them into a shopping sack I spotted nearby. I had no way back except the motorcycle. Could I ride it by myself? I hadn’t paid attention to which tunnels we’d taken, but there were bound to be tire tracks down there. I could follow them and hope they got me where I wanted to go.
Great plan, Star.
I snuck down to the basement door and made my way to the motorcycle. No one had stirred, and I guessed they’d also been tired. Farm work drained even the strong. I had lucked out and fallen asleep early, and was now energized and ready to face the day. I slipped onto the seat, released the break, and pushed the motorcycle down the tunnel, following the tracks. The cottage was on a slight incline, and that worked well for me. I got almost a mile out before I cranked the starter and revved the engine.
“Woo-hoo!”
It was a thrill. I couldn’t believe my luck. If I could just make my way back quickly and find my parents, I’d be golden.
The side tunnels sped by, but I was able to follow the tire tracks in the light dusting of dirt covering the cement. A few hours later, the tracks stopped at a familiar door with a large red button. I stashed the motorcycle to one side, glad no one appeared to know of these tunnels besides Clyde and his family, and slipped back into his townhouse in the city.
I raced home, dodging any characters by jumping into the alleyways and hiding behind boxes or trash bins. It worked, and I was soon peering up at my family’s sprawling mansion. My heart swelled at the sight. I couldn’t enter in the front for fear of being seen, so I took the back entrance usually reserved for servants.
I was relieved the house was intact. Some I’d passed had been bombed just like the governor’s mansion. Our house was immaculate inside and out, and my heart relaxed as I made my way through the abandoned rooms, wondering where my parents and the staff were.
“Hello?”
I entered the front living room and stopped dead in my tracks. My parents were sitting there, stiff and frowning. They weren’t alone.
“Hello, Star, so good to see you again. I knew you’d return sooner or later. My patience has paid off.”
“You?” I questioned. “I know you….”
“Of course, you do. I was just explaining to your parents that they may remain here. We have reached an agreement: their lives in exchange for you coming with me.”
I stared, horrified by the man I’d briefly seen at the ball. I’d snubbed him almost immediately. He was too old for me, with salt and pepper hair and crow’s feet at the edges of his eyes. A malicious smile twisted his lips, even when he tried to appear genuine. I strained my thoughts to remember his name.
“General Farl
an Glass?”
“It’s President Glass now.”
Oh, no. He’d betrayed us all for power.
“What do you mean… coming with you?”
“It’s simple, really. I allow your parents to live and work under my rule if you’re in my possession. If you will do as I say, they will be fine. They will create the gadgets my regime needs, and in exchange, I won’t kill them or you.”
“You’re crazy.”
His eyes narrowed, his fake smile slipping from his face. “I’m not here to be judged by a little girl.” He waved his hands, and two officers appeared. They grabbed my arms and held me tight. “Take her to the cell. Make sure she cleans up. We’ll get rid of those filthy clothes. We have better garments in my house.”
My mother and father hung their heads in shame as I was taken outside, screaming, and tossed into the back of a limo. No matter how I kicked, punched, or scratched, I was no match for the two burly bodyguards who sat on either side of me.
I paused, watching my house disappear from view. On the streets, people avoided the black limo carrying me to my prison. There were ruined houses on almost every block. The city of Petra was in disarray, and yet Glass had left enough of it intact for his amusement. My tears fell the whole way to his house on the other side of the city, a mansion with sprawling grounds. It had obviously not been his before the coup. A general didn’t make enough to afford it.
I had stopped struggling by the time we pulled up in front of the house. How had no one seen this coming? And what was to become of me?
Chapter 7
Clyde
Traffic sprayed dirty rain water up into the gutters, keeping me pressed against the buildings. I was dressed like a worker on his way to his job, but I was far from that. I was making my way to a safe house harboring the rebels working to free the city of Petra from President Glass’s dictatorship. Glass had planned this takeover for months, and now, if people did not submit to his rule, they were strategically taken out. I, on the other hand, was not going to let that happen.
Once Upon A Kiss: Seventeen Romantic Faerie Tales Page 31