“You expect me to believe that? First you took my betrothed from me just so you could have me to yourself. You cursed me with this—” I gestured my hand around the castle, “—forever. And you threatened them. Of course you killed them. You were afraid they might expose you or detract me from whatever purpose you have for me.” If only I could prove it. “But you will move to the cottage.”
“You should probably check the deed to this castle.” Gretta dropped her gaze. More false shame?
“What are you talking about? The deed to the castle?”
“Your father made sure you could not banish me. I own half.” She whispered the words of doom. Even she knew they were like knives in my soul.
And yet, I believed her.
But how could that be? Father wouldn't do that to me, and if he had, why was I only just now finding out about it? Gretta must have forged the documents. How could I prove that? I'd have to find a way. Unless…did I even care?
“Listen, you old witch, as long as it takes for me to prove you killed my son and his wife, and for as long as it takes me to prove you are not a rightful heir to this castle, you will stay away from me.” I jabbed my finger in her face. “Sleep here. Live here. Eat here. I don't care. Just stay away from me.”
Gretta hung her head, defeated. I stomped up to my bedroom in the tower, threw myself on the bed, and finally allowed the sobs to take over.
***
Bang. Bang. Bang.
“Rapunzel, open the door. It’s morning. I have your water.”
“Go away, witch. I want nothing from you. You will never enter this room again.”
“Open this door, Rapunzel.”
Tomorrow, I buy a lock. I rolled over on my side and went back to sleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
1913
I peered out my window, waiting for the right moment. There. The sun dropped below the horizon, casting the castle grounds into darkness.
Now!
I tied the corners of my blanket together into a knot then slung the makeshift sack over my shoulder. I scurried to the door. Don’t look back. With Luke gone, there was nothing to worry about back there.
I had thirty minutes, maximum. That's all I had between the setting of the sun and when the dragon would expect to see the candlelight flicker in my window, my daily assurance to him of my presence in the castle. If he didn’t see that glow from my tower…
I pushed the door open with my shoulder, careful to move slowly enough that it wouldn't squeak. Rousing Gretta's suspicion certainly wouldn't help matters. If I got caught by the dragon, that witch had as much to lose as I.
I placed my tiptoes on one stone step at a time as I skipped down the spiral staircase. Light as a feather.
Hurry. Hurry. I recited my plan. Get as far away as possible. As quickly as possible. Through the gardens, around back past the Cavanaughs' cabin. Then what?
Maybe I needed more details than that. What if he came after me? I’d never tried to escape before. First time in almost one hundred years. How far would he chase me?
I practically flew down through the foyer and past the dining room. I arrived at the Hall of Horrors and turned right. It was all I could do to not run to the end of the hallway and burst through the door to the garden, but noise would give me away. All I could hope was that the dragon lay resting on the other side of the castle, waiting for candlelight to soothe his panicked soul.
I slowly opened the door to the stairs that would lead to the garden and out of the castle walls. I swiftly made my way down the stairs. Just don't fall. Whatever you do, don’t fall. I instructed myself with each step down the tiny stairway. Finally, I hit ground level and opened the door.
Run! It was like my feet were cemented to the stone cobbles that made up the garden walkway. Run! I ran through the garden as quickly as possible, past the pond and waterfall and beyond the roses to the surrounding hedge.
This had taken longer than I'd expected. I should have practiced. Why, in heaven’s name, hadn’t I practiced?
I gathered my skirts in my hand and reached the other back to hold my pack steady. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, I ran toward the open fields beyond the castle grounds. If I could make it to the other side of the expanse, I should be okay. At least I had a chance.
Stars filled the sky and the moon took its place among them. I was running out of time.
My lungs burned in my chest as I forced my body to run faster. Come on, Rapunzel, I coaxed myself. This is your only chance. Run.
There was a day, over a century ago, when my legs wouldn't run to make their escape. Now, today, they could run, but likely not fast enough.
I let go of my pack and pumped my arms to help with speed. My burden bumped on my back.
Thu-Thump. Thu-Thump.