want to be found.”
Heeding my own advice, I began my descent into the dark space, using the
technique Miles had just shown me. The cold metal was more slippery than I had
expected. Once Meg and Miles entered the tube, specks of dirt dropped on me and covered my face. Misjudging my strength, I took one hand off the wall for
the briefest moment to wipe the dust from my eyes. Suddenly, I found myself slipping. Unable to stop, I began to fall.
I stifled my screams as the silver of the walls blurred past me. I must not have been very high up when I stumbled because I landed quickly in a large basket full of dirty linens, making an oomph sound. When Meg was in reach, I
held my hands up to help her down. Before I could assist Miles, he jumped around me and into the pile of laundry.
Quickly climbing out of the basket, he held out his hand. “Green, please.”
With an amused smile, I handed him the potion and let him check our exit.
His grin told me the coast was clear.
As we left the stuffy laundry room, the cold air hit my face. The night sky twinkled with stars, and I felt a sense of relief. Soon, we would be far away from
this wretched place and with our family.
Chapter
Thirty-Five
As Miles led us across the property, dodging from tree to tree, it was
eerily quiet. Apprehension nagged at me. I was terrified the guard had
woken, and that we would bump into him.
When we arrived to find the guard still out cold, Meg stared at him with wide
eyes.
"He's just sleeping," I promised, "but let's move away from him, just in case."
I glanced around, hoping to see my family. My heart fell when I couldn't find
them.
A soft rustle came from the brush across from us. I pulled Meg and Miles behind a tree to hide them. "Wait here," I whispered.
Leaving the children, I crept towards the moving bush. Within the foliage,
two shining blue eyes stared at me.
“Damn it, Cole,” I hissed when I recognized who it was. “You scared me.”
Cole crawled out from the undergrowth and grabbed me tightly. “Mar, I was
starting to freak out. You were in there for a long time. Gram and Elliott went down the mountain to make sure the path was still clear when you returned.” He
glanced around nervously. “Where are they? Didn’t you find them in the house?”
Meg and Miles left the safety of the tree. They held hands as they came to join us.
Cole's expression turned to surprise, and his smile lit up his face. "He looks
just like Meg."
"Uncanny, isn't it?" I agreed.
Cole scooped them both into his arms and gave them a big bear hug. When
he finally put them down, Miles stepped back. Realizing his behavior had
frightened the boy, he held out his hand. “I'm sorry – that was probably too much
for a first meeting. I was just so worried about all of you. When I saw you were
safe, I was overwhelmed with excitement."
Miles accepted his hand and shook it. His posture was formal, but his intense
