The head guard seemed to notice in that moment that she was unable to use her powers. He pounced on her hoping to overpower her with his might but Velma had already taken to her heels. He chased her through the long winding corridors but she was too quick for him. However, he had the upper hand because he knew exactly where she was headed. He chased her down to the east of the palace where the door to the tunnel was located. He could see her trying to kick the door down but she eas making no progress.
"You would need this," the guard said dangling the key like a bait.
Velma watched his movements closely. She could tell from his confident strides as he approached her that he underestimated her greatly. He was certain of a surrender.
"How about a deal? Eh? I have gold," she wanted him to relax, to believe that her only bargaining power out of this was either money or hypnotizing him. She knew neither would work because as for the former Artemis guards were reported to be extremely trustworthy and as for the later she had no control over her powers, earlier had been pure luck.
"Don't play games with me little girl, you are following me," he was so close she could hear his every breath. She tried for her most frightened look before kicking him very suddenly in his knots while simultaneously striking a blow to his Adam's apple. He fell onto the ground in pain and hatred in his eyes. She had no time to waste hence she hit him on the head, knocking him out flat.
She picked up the key that had fallen on the ground alongside the guard. Just as she has thought, he had only baited her with it, the lock on the door remained steadfast. She sighed in frustration; she could not return to the party as that might raise suspicion, this door was her only escape route. She tried all the keys she found on the guard's body but none of them moved the lock even an inch. There was no other way; she would have to break the door open.
Velma took a deep breath in and summoned all the core strength she had. She hit the door with her entire body but the door refused to budge. She hit the door with even more strength but she could tell she was making no progress.
Frustrated, she searched the area for any tool she could use to aid her escape. She spied a saw and wondered if perhaps someone else had thought to escape the palace in the same way.
After about thirty minutes she was finally able to hack her way through the door. She almost fainted from exhaustion but she was certain by now that her father or the Alpha would have noticed her disappearance and might have ordered a search for her through the palace. If she did not want to get caught she had to get away as far as possible.
The door indeed led to a tunnel. The stale air teased her senses as she walked into the tunnel. From the smell, it seemed that the tunnel had not been used in months maybe even years. She caught the whiff of a scent that provoked a strange longing in her; some force, a part of her was begging her not to leave but she ignored it.
She heard a loud shrill voice; it had come so suddenly she had stopped in her tracts. When she heard nothing in the next few minutes that passed she continued her walk.
"It is you, I have waited so long," the voice sounded tired. Velma looked behind and before her but she could make out nothing in the dark tunnel.
"Who is there?" She shouted but her voice only echoed back to her.
"Have you come to save me?" it was the same voice.
Velma started to run. She was scared and tired and she was now beginning to almost regret running away without a plan. She had not even had enough time to get her money and victuals before leaving Aysun.
"You run?" there was a sigh, "I guess it is not time yet," there was a shrill that echoed through the tunnel and all at once the tunnel became quiet again.
Velma had tears in her eyes at this point, she almost wished she could go home to hug her mummy but she was aware she had a strong responsibility to herself to harness the powers within her. Besides, after today, her existence might bring untold harm to her family.
She could feel the tunnel coming to a close, the early morning wind blew cold against her face. She looked above her and saw the beauty of the early morning moon. Night still blanketed Aysun and the stars shone bright in their glory.
There was a ladder attached to the wall. She used it to climb out of the tunnel. When she was finally on the ground she sighed in relief. All was quiet in the forest. Her stomach growled, she was beyond exhausted and hungry. She had also acquired a few cuts and bruises on her way. She picked herself up but fell down back on the ground. Judging by the purple of the sky she had an hour or two before daylight.
She scouted the area for anything she could eat and saw an apple tree not too far from where she lay. She plucked a fruit enjoying the deliciousness of the fruit. She closed her eyes as they were too heavy remain open and soon fell into a deep sleep.