Hours after her father left, Elizabeth remained seated on the edge of her bed, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. Her father's words echoed endlessly.
"Soon, I'llbeadead man, and so will your friends."
The weight of his ultimatum pressed against her chest, but no matter how much she tried to rationalize his argument, she couldn't bring herself to accept his path.
She had spent her entire life under his shadow, following his rules, bending to his will. But this time, she couldn't do it. Not when it meant turning her back on Alex. Not when it meant betraying the one person who had fought for her when no one else had.
A sharp breath escaped her lips as she stood, her resolve hardening.
"I won'ttakehis side," she decided.
No matter what he claimed, she couldn't trust him, not anymore. And if he thought she would stand by while he tried to destroy Alex, he was wrong.
Elizabeth moved to the door, gripping the handle with determination. She twisted it and pulled—nothing. Frowning, she tried again, this time using more force. The door didn't budge.
It was locked.
Her heart skipped a beat. He had locked her in.
She stepped back in disbelief, her pulse quickening.
'Ofcourse', she thought bitterly. Her father never asked—he ordered. And when people didn't comply, he made sure they didn't have a choice.
But she wouldn't let a locked door stop her.
Her eyes scanned the room, searching for anything she could use. The windows were sealed tight—reinforced, no doubt. She tried prying one open with all her strength, but without her ice powers, she was painfully aware of how weak she had become.
"I'mnotgoingtosithereand donothing".
Frustration flared inside her. She slammed her fist against the door, the sound echoing through the room. "Let me out!" she shouted, her voice trembling with anger. "You can't keep me locked up like this!"
Silence.
Her hands curled into fists. She had spent too many years being controlled by her father's ambitions, by her fading health, by the constant fear of becoming nothing more than a pawn in his plans. But this time, she refused to be caged.
Just as she turned back toward the window, a loud bang jolted her.
The door shuddered under the force of a kick. Before she could react, another violent slam echoed, and the lock gave way, the door flying open.
Elizabeth stumbled back as a familiar figure stepped through the wrecked doorway.
"Peter?" she gasped, her heart pounding.
He stood there, breathless but steady, his dark eyes blazing with urgency. His usual carefree expression was gone, replaced by something far more serious.
"Took me long enough," he said, lowering his foot. "Your father doesn't mess around when it comes to locking doors, huh?"
Elizabeth stared at him, still processing his sudden appearance. "What—how did you even know—?"
"Alex," Peter cut in, his voice sharp. "He's in danger."
Her stomach dropped. "What?"
Peter's jaw clenched. "Your father, my father, and a bunch of other people, they lured him to some construction site outside the city. I overheard them talking about it. By the time I figured out where, he was already gone. If we don't move now…"
He didn't need to finish.
Elisabeth's heart pounded painfully in her chest. Her father's words—the threats, the manipulation, it all made horrible sense now. He hadn't just been trying to convince her. He had already made his move.
Without another word, she grabbed her coat and pushed past Peter. "Let's go."
They rushed down the hallway, their footsteps echoing against the cold, polished floors. Peter kept pace beside her, his usual playful demeanor replaced by tense focus.
"You sure about this?" he asked as they neared the main entrance. "If you go against him, there's no going back."
"I've never been more sure of anything," Elizabeth said firmly, pushing the door open. Cold night air hit her face as they stepped outside. "I won't let him hurt Alex."
Peter gave a quick nod, his expression softening just slightly. "Good. I didn't feel like rescuing him by myself."
They sprinted toward the edge of the streets, the city lights glittering in the distance. A heavy silence hung between them as they hurried through the deserted streets in search of any available ride, but Elizabeth's mind was anything but quiet.
She couldn't stop imagining the worst—what if they were too late? What if Alex was already—
No. She shook the thought away.
"Why are you helping me?" she asked suddenly, glancing at Peter.
He raised an eyebrow. "What, you thought I'd just sit around while they ganged up on my best friend?" He asked. "My father had me locked up, same as you but fortunately, my friend came by and helped me escape."
A flicker of warmth stirred in her chest. For all his teasing and sarcasm, Peter had always been there when it mattered most.
"I didn't think you cared that much," she admitted.
Peter snorted. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it."
Despite the situation, a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. But it faded quickly as the looming silhouette of the abandoned construction site came into view.
A cold knot twisted in her stomach. The skeletal structure stood tall against the night sky—dark and foreboding. There were no lights, no signs of life, but she knew better. Her father wasn't the type to leave loose ends.
They slipped through a broken section of the fence, keeping low as they moved closer. The smell of dust and metal filled the air, and faint echoes of a struggle reached her ears.
"He's here," Peter murmured.
Elisabeth's heart pounded as she scanned the area. Then, amid the shadows, she saw him.
Alex, he was bloodied, and battered but still standing, although just barely. He seemed like he would give up any time.
He was facing off against Mr. Gustavo.
Her breath caught in her throat. Flames flickered around the man's hands, casting glows across the concrete. Alex looked exhausted, barely holding himself upright, but he wasn't backing down.
Elizabeth's hands trembled at her sides. She wanted to rush forward, to pull Alex away from the danger but she couldn't afford to be reckless. Not when the odds were highly stacked against them.
Peter crouched beside her, his expression grim. "What's the plan?"
Elizabeth swallowed hard, her resolve solidifying.
"We help him," she said. "No matter what it takes." She didn't need to think twice.
Alex brought light into her dark world, he made her feel human again, this kind of person was worth saving a thousand or million times.