Page 34 of At Midnight

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Flicka von Hannover

When he grabbed me,

it all rushed back at me.

Hands. Fists.

Grabbing.

A few days later, Flicka was downstairs in the kitchen getting a snack for Alina when she heard his voice.

The male laugh floated through the doorway and the air.

Flicka said to one of the housekeepers, “Just a minute,” and followed the voice.

As she started togo through the door, one of her jailers stepped in front of her, blocking her way. “I’m sorry, miss. There are guests.”

Flicka yelled around the man’s bulk,“Bastien! I’m here!”

The man moved fast and grabbed Flicka, forcing her back into the kitchen and slapping his hand over her mouth.

Flicka tried to yell again, but the man’s fleshy palm sealed over her mouth. Her shout vibrated her nose.

She couldn’t breathe through her mouth.

The man whispered, “If you can’t be quiet, we can’t let you leave the guest suite. Be quiet, now.”

No air.

She was dying.

No air no air no air.

Panic screamed through Flicka’s veins, and she flailed at the beast holding her, trying to escape because he was not going to hold her and she had to get away right nowright now.

The door popped open.

Bastien’seyes widened at the ape-like guard with his white paw covering half of Flicka’s face, and his mouth fell open. “Gretchen? I mean, Ms. von Hannover? You there, stop that.” He waved the guy off. “I’m Bastien Mirabaud, Valerian’s brother. I already knew she was here.Get off of her.”

The man dropped Flicka.

She jumped away from him and fell, scrambling across the floor to Bastien’s feet. Sobbingclogged her throat, and her eyes burned.

Bastien reached down and lifted her up.

Her knees wouldn’t hold her, and she gagged and stumbled backward.

“Gretchen, I mean Flicka, it’s all right.It’s all right now.You there,” he pointed at the mercenary. “Get out of here.Get out.”

Get away,she had toget away now.

Flicka flipped out of Bastien’s hands and slammed into the wall.

A woman’s voicesaid, “Ms. von Hannover. It’s okay. It’s okay. The guard is gone.”

The housekeeper Kyllikki was kneeling beside her. “Are you all right?”