by Viola Grace
Enticed by the elf king to a ball in his kingdom, Amelia gets magical assistance for her wardrobe and a chance at a new life… after midnight.
Amelia has lived her life serving her family. At her stepmother’s urging, she has been running through the barrier that confines the elf king and stealing from the plants and trees that she can reach. Every time she passes the barrier, she starts a countdown and makes it out of the enchanted forest before the king thunders upon his horse. She listens for the hoofbeats and makes every moment count.
Being caught by the elf king was less terrifying than she had imagined. He gave her aid and made her smile before telling her that he was going to be hosting a party... and she was going to attend.
The king had been searching for a woman to break the curse he was under, and this young woman with the sad eyes and her penchant for the flora of his forest seemed precisely what he needed. She was definitely what he wanted. With her agreement and a little seduction, she might assist him in escaping midnight.
The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Escaping Midnight
Copyright © 2020 by Viola Grace
ISBN: 978-1-989892-21-3
©Cover art by Angela Waters
All rights reserved. With the exception of review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the express permission of the publisher.
Escaping Midnight
Published by Viola Grace
Smashwords Edition
Look for me online at violagrace.com and your favourite eBook sellers.
Escaping Midnight
Stand-Alone Tales Book 8
By
Viola Grace
Chapter One
Amelia watched for the bright light of noon for the sun to be at its peak. When the light struck the barrier, she slipped through, and she started counting as she plucked berries from the most overloaded and succulent bush in the forest. She had two minutes.
She worked as efficiently as possible. Her fingers enjoyed the smooth texture of the berries as she rapidly filled the basket. In the distance, she heard the thud of hooves.
She listened as her hands sought out branch after branch full of berries, and when she could see the flicker of gold coming for her. She looked at the basket, covered the berries, and picked up her skirt to run for the barrier. The thundering of hooves got louder, and she felt the tingle of magic against her skin at the same time there was a tug on her hair.
She turned on the other side of the barrier and looked at the elf who had the scarf from her hair.
“So, you are the berry thief.”
She was transfixed. He was lovely. Her eyes were fascinated by the curve of his ear ending in a point and the crown banded across his forehead. Oh shit.
She curtsied deeply, her head down. “I am sorry, Your Highness, I need them for my stepmother.”
His horse jostled sideways. “Stepmother?”
She blinked down at the grass. “Yes, Your Highness.”
“Well, little stepdaughter. Why aren’t you running away?”
“It would be rude, Your Highness.”
He laughed. “Well, a polite child. How old are you?”
She paused long enough that he chuckled again.
“Ah, that old, eh? Well, it has been five years. I suppose I will just have to have a ball again. If I do, will you attend?”
She held out her ragged clothing. “I do not think it would be appropriate.”
“Ah, and yet, I do. Whose will will take precedence, do you think?” He asked her the question, and she glanced up at him as he smiled.
She looked down again quickly. Her legs were quivering from holding the curtsy.
“So, miss, are you going to be here tomorrow?”
She swallowed. “I hope not, Your Highness.”
“I will have to be nearer, just in case. For a young lady of your quality to be this near and just out of reach is a true torment. Well, get those berries to your relative. They must need them desperately to send such a valuable resource into the enchanted forest.”
She took the words as a dismissal, slowly turned, and carefully walked away. She didn’t glance back until she was at the crest of the hill, and he was sitting there, astride his horse, dressed in gold and white, with her scarf held under his nose and his eyes amused. Her stomach flipped hard, but she crested the hill and ran for home. The worn manor had never looked so welcome.
She crept into the kitchen door and set the berries on the counter before going to pull water. With the ewer of water ready, she poured the berries into the matching bowl, and she walked to her stepmother’s chambers.
“What took you so long, Amelia?”
“There was someone in the woods, Madam.” She set the berries out and placed the water on the tray for that purpose.
“Well, that is why I send you and not Liv or Delia. If they take you, they take you.”
Amelia nodded. “Yes, Madam.”
She got a mortar and pestle and began to grind the berries into a paste to be added to a cream to be applied to her stepmother’s wrinkles. There was nothing like it for an instant injection of youth, but the cream only lasted for six days before the berries lost their efficiency.
It took her twenty minutes to create the cream for her stepmother, and when it was ready, it was snatched from her. “Go milk something!”
Amelia nodded and left, wiping her hands on her apron.
The moment she was out of the house, she breathed deeply. She checked on the animals, made sure they had enough hay, grain, and water, and sat for a quiet moment, remembering the unnerving gaze of the elf king.
If she changed the bush that she used, she might be able to go a time or two before he caught up to her.
The thought of what he would do to her if he caught her had been clearly stamped in his gaze. She was very glad to have the magical barrier between them. She could come and go from noon until midnight. He was trapped in the forest for something that was beyond her understanding.
She sighed and headed back into the manor. It was time to make dinner for the three women that her father had made her responsible for... somehow.
Amelia had a routine. She scrubbed the main floor when she got up, and it was cleared and ready for breakfast before the madam and her daughters were up. After breakfast, the gaggle headed into town, and Amelia did a power scrubbing of their rooms and gathered their laundry to set aside for the weekly washing. They would eat in town, and Amelia had enough time to set up everything for dinner.
Today she was peeling vegetables when the front door flew open hours ahead of schedule.
“Amelia. You have to come with me!” Liv’s eyes were bright and excited.
“Um, I am not...” she looked at the supplies for dinner that she had foraged for before dawn.
Liv didn’t listen to the answer, she merely grabbed Amelia by the arm and hauled her out and down the lane toward the main road. Amelia didn’t ask what was under her stepsister’s skin. She would find out soon enough.
She stumbled down the road into town before she saw the horses. Elves. A dozen at first guess. None of the men had the coronet, so she breathed a little easier. In the last three days, she had begun to think that her little confrontation was a dream.
Amelia looked around and saw that every group of women gathered had at least one maid with them. Oh.
Her stepmother hauled her forward. “See? She’s here! We have a maid.”
The twelve fey looked at her, and the one holding a sheaf of gilded cards said, “So, she is.”
Amelia was a little uneasy at so much attention. They were staring at her as if they were imagining her wearing something else or nothing at all. She hid her hands in her apron and bowed her head.
He handed the cards to each one of the ladies, and then, he urged his horse a few steps forward. A gilded card slowly lowered into her field of view. She lifted her hand and took the heavy paper. She lowered her hand with the card held in it.
“Can you read it?”
She looked up with fury, and his brilliant green eyes widened in surprise. “Of course, I can.”
He laughed. “That makes more sense. Save me a dance.”
The elves turned and wheeled their horses, heading back to the enchanted forest. The ladies who were in town with their invitations were murmuring excitedly.
To Amelia’s surprise, after she read the invitation, it disappeared.
Her stepmother cackled. “Of course. Who would want a girl like you to go to the ball? Really? Huh. Now, we need to prepare. So few days to get ready. Amelia, I need more of the cream. See to it.”
Amelia looked at the sun, and she blinked. “It isn’t safe.”
Her stepmother slapped her across the face, sending her staggering back. She straightened and looked down.
“I don’t care if it’s safe. I need it. Get it.”
She took in a deep breath, and she turned on her heel and walked back up the road to the manor and into the fields beyond, heading for the barrier. If she wanted the berries, she would get them for her.
Amelia looked for the right kind of berries to add to the mix. She spotted them through the barrier, and her smile wasn’t pleasant.
She gathered the edges of her apron together, and she dashed through the barrier directly to the berry bush that she was looking for. She had what she needed and headed to the blueberry bush quickly, but the hoofbeats were fast and getting closer at a disturbingly rapid pace.
Picking the berries with one hand was difficult, but she thought she had enough when her house slippers gave in on her. She stumbled, and the berries fell from her apron. The horse was close. Too close. It slowed down until she could see the hooves in front of her.
She continued to collect the fallen fruit. There was the sound of heavy fabric sliding over leather, and boots appeared next to her. She continued to seek out what she had taken from the bush.
She swallowed when all of the fruit, including the ones in her apron, floated upward.
“Now, I thought you were trying to avoid me.” He chuckled and crouched next to her.
She didn’t look at him, so he touched her chin and turned her head toward his. His eyes were amused until the left side of her face with the handprint was exposed to him.
“Who did that?”
She didn’t meet his gaze. “My stepmother.”
“Why?”
She flicked a look at him. “It was too late to risk the barrier.”
“She is the recipient of the berries?”
Amelia nodded. “She’s getting ready for the ball.”
“Ah, so, I see you have received an invitation.”
She frowned. “It disappeared. Once I read it, it just evaporated.”
“Don’t fret. That is what it is supposed to do.”
She swallowed. “I think you can let go of my face now, Your Highness.”
“I like touching you. It has been a while since I have seen a young woman as fascinating as you.”
He placed his hand under her elbow and lifted her to her feet. She wobbled. He frowned. “What is wrong?”
She grimaced. “Due to... reasons... I ended up running around in my house slippers, and they are not in great shape to begin with.”
He didn’t say anything, simply lifted her so that she was sitting perched on his saddle with her feet in the open.
The soles of her slippers were gone, and soon, the tattered uppers were gone. The king was handling her feet. Her mortification couldn’t get any greater. Well, not until he lifted her foot and examined the skin. “You are injured.”
She tightened her lips. “It happens.”
“If I let you go, will you have proper footwear when you arrive at your home?”
She tried to lie, “Yehhhess?”
He chuckled. “Well, at least you are a bad liar.”
He rubbed her feet with focus, and as he touched her, the aches in her feet felt warm, and then, the pain disappeared. He cupped her ankles and did the same.
Amelia was petrified. The elf king was healing her feet. He smiled up at her and slid his hands up her calves.
“Well, now that I have healed you, what will I do with you?” His fingers were graceful and cool on her skin.
Amelia swallowed. “Can you heal a broken neck?”
He paused. “Why?”
“Because if your hands keep moving up, I am going to fall off the back of this saddle.” She swallowed.
He inclined his head and withdrew his hands from under her skirts. “I see. Well, you will not be able to navigate the area without footwear.”
She was shocked when he removed his own boots and then slid them onto her feet. He touched them, and they fitted themselves to her feet. She squeaked in surprise. “Your Highness, I can’t...”
He stood and smiled. “It is my gift to you for a conversation that involved a threat of mortality. If you gain a replacement for your shoes, simply bring the boots back and leave them on this side of the barrier. I will find them. If you need them. Keep them.”
He put his hands on her waist and set her back on her feet. “Thank you for the healing, and the boots, Your Highness.”
“Don’t forget to attend the ball, maiden. If you are missing, they will come for you.”
He raised one of her hands to his lips and then held it to her apron, letting the berries fill the pouch that her hand created. “Don’t drop them.”
She curtsied and slowly walked toward the barrier, wearing the elf king’s boots. He mounted his horse and watched her leave the enchanted forest. She could feel his gaze on her back. The light of the afternoon was dimming, and she moved faster. Dinner wasn’t made.
With the preparations for the ball, she was going to be busy. How the hell was she supposed to find clothing for herself in the mad scramble?
Chapter Two
It was going to be a masquerade. Amelia winced. How was she supposed to figure out a dress for a masquerade?
She finished her yard tasks in record time, and then, she crept away to her mother’s grave at the back of the property, just on the edge of the barrier around the forest.
Amelia sat in front of the tree that marked the grave, and she pressed her forehead to the trunk. “Hello, Mother. It has been a while. I know. You would not believe what has been going on.”
She told her mother about her stepmother’s increasing violence, the lack of any proposals for the hands of her stepsisters, and her own inevitable aging into matrimonial age with no prospects.
“I just want to read; I want to learn. I can’t do that here, but I don’t want to leave you. You are all that I have.”
The tree shivered in the breeze, but there wasn’t a breeze.
Amelia told her mother about the elf king, the boots, the ball, and the trouble she was having figuring things out. “I know there is nothing to be done, but I would have liked to see the Midnight Castle.”
A nut fell from the tree, and a voice whispered to her on a thread of wind. Open the nut when you are alone. It contains what you need.
She threw her arms around her mother’s tree and smiled. “Thank you. I will try to come again soon.”
Come before the ball, and I will give you more. You will need it.
The sound of her mother’s voice reminded her of who her mother had been before she passed on. Anduala had been destined to be the bride of the elf king, but after one meeting, they had realized that they were not su
ited, and Anduala found a husband in a merchant who was not wealthy, but he was handsome. He wed his half-fey wife with all the love in his heart, and when his love died in childbirth, his heart broke, and he went looking for love again.
After eight years, he found a widow and her children close to Amelia’s age, but he died three years later. She had been in charge for the last ten years.
Amelia sighed and took the nut. She heard a now-familiar noise and looked up to see the elf king staring at her through the barrier. She stepped toward him and looked up at him. “Why are you here?”
“I heard someone paying a visit to Lady Anduala the half-elf. Why were you here?”
“She was my mother.”
He looked shocked, and then, he started laughing. “Of course. That is what she meant.”
“You met her?”
“I did. How are the boots treating you?” His tone was casual, as was his redirection of the conversation.
“Um. Fine. Great. It is odd, but no one seems to see them.”
He grinned. It was a surprising look.
“Excellent. Keep them as long as you need them. I have a few pairs.”
She curtsied and looked out toward the manor. “I have to return. They are getting ready, and tomorrow is the event.”
“It is indeed. You will be there?”
She shrugged. “I will do what I can. That is all I can do.”
He held her hand. “You will be there, or I will send someone to get you.”
Amelia blinked. “I am sure that won’t be necessary. I just have to get myself into the enchanted forest, and I think I will be able to see the palace.”
“Seeing it and arriving in it are different things.”
“I can only do what I can do.” That had been driven home after the last few years.
“Maiden, if you could do one thing for an entire day, what would it be?”
