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us.
     
     

 

Chapter 3
     
    Sean’s warning made us move even faster. Lisette, Austin, and Sean followed me down. Prince Callum came last, and secured the hatch, sealing the five of us in the cold blackness under the stage.
    Austin held his cell phone up and a bright light pierced the dark. He shined the flashlight app around the space, illuminating the materials pile. “There.” He snagged a rope and scrambled back up the ladder, tying one end through the leather loop door pull.
    Prince Callum secured the other end to the leg of a large table. When they finished, Austin let the glow die out.
    “We can’t stay here,” Prince Callum said, his voice sounding clearer as he moved to stand by me. “They’ll smoke us out.”
    The words were crazy. Prince Callum’s Irish accent and royal title added to the madness.
    “Smoked out? Like we’re freaking venison after a hunting trip?” Austin snorted and then his voice changed. “My parents.” He spoke through clenched teeth. “They’re in the audience.”
    I hadn’t seen my family, but they had to be out there.
    “Your kin are safer away from you,” Prince Callum said. “I’m afraid you’ve joined me as a target until we can get this birther speech straightened.”
    I wanted to protest his calling my speech the birther speech , but I kept my mouth shut.
    “Who are those guys?” Austin asked.
    A thrumming feeling in my veins made me want to run, do anything but stand here and wait. I paced a step, but couldn’t see enough not to bump into the others, so I stilled.
    “The royal family’s always a target,” Sean said. “Now, with that girl Hayley’s speech, you’re targets too.” The hard sole of his shoe tapped the concrete floor in a repeated thump. “All of you.”
    “That wasn’t my real speech. My speech was on football.” I felt more than a touch defensive. I knew it was stupid, but I needed to make my point. “My genetics trivia was a last-minute substitution, not a call to arms.”
    “Shh.” Lisette’s voice came out a calm whisper, unlike my own angst-ridden tones. “If they don’t know we’re down here, let’s not alert them.”
    She was right. I sank to my butt, wrapped my arms around my shins, and dropped my forehead to my knees. The fabric of my cotton slacks pressed into my brow, offering a moment that felt real. Sitting there in damp clothes made the space even colder.
    “Where does this room lead?” Prince Callum asked, using a quieter tone. “What’s on the other side?”
    I wasn’t in drama, but I tried to think; to put aside thoughts of what was happening on the other side of that stage and my worry over my family. I prayed they’d missed this somehow. And Rhys and Christian…they hadn’t followed us. I hoped they’d gotten out under the cover of smoke. Stop. Focus on the moment. Focus on Prince Callum’s question. What was on the other side of the prop room? “I have Chemistry fourth period. The drama kids are always complaining about how the lab smells go through the vents and interfere with their deep breathing.” A puff of chill air blew over me through the vents and I knew we had to go through the lab. I knew it with a weird certainty. “The vents. We can escape through the air vents to the lab.”
    “Got it.” Austin hurried toward the wall and shined his phone, revealing the large metal covering. He pried at the top, uncovering a dark hole. “Move.” We bent double to go through. I braced my hands on my thighs, backed into the hiding spot, and breathed in the dusty air. Prince Callum and Austin had an even harder time fitting into the vent. They pushed the grate back in place, concealing us.
    A loud clang sounded. Scraping and kicks followed, warning that someone was struggling to get through the trap door. We all stilled. Quiet. Stay quiet . I wiped the back of my hand underneath my nose, trying not to sneeze.
    Austin powered off his phone, and the small space got even darker.
    A man’s accented,