They moved down the hall. Janessa led him toward the back of the mansion, where the French doors opened to the gardens. The night air hit them in a cold wave, smelling of cut grass and expensive roses. The gardens stretched out like a maze, rows of trimmed hedges and marble fountains glimmering under moonlight.
Janessa spotted a garden wheel barrow near the terrace. She rushed toward it, her pulse racing. She helped Cody settle inside. She lined the interior with a folded tarp so the metal would not bruise him.
He stared at her with wide eyes. “What are we doing.”
“Leaving,” she answered. “If you want to.”
His voice trembled. “Yes. Yes. Please.”
She gripped the handles. The wheel barrow was heavy, but determination strengthened her muscles. She pushed.
The first jolt over the cobblestones made Cody gasp. Then, unexpectedly, he laughed. A small burst of joy. Fragile. Pure. The sound nearly made Janessa cry. She bit her lip and kept moving.
Behind them, a guard’s voice cracked through the air. “Miss Bloom. Stop. You cannot take him.”
Janessa did not look back. “Hold on Cody,” she said. “I will get you out.”
The wheel barrow rattled and squealed across the garden paths. The night wind whipped Janessa’s hair into her face. Her lungs burned but she pushed harder. The mansion’s lights glowed behind them like watchful eyes.
Cody stretched his arms out, letting the breeze brush his fingertips. He looked up at the sky, at the stars finally unobstructed by thick curtains or chandeliers. His smile broke Janessa’s heart and rebuilt it at the same time.
Guards spilled onto the paths. Their shoes slapped against stone. Their radios crackled with hurried orders. One guard shouted, “Do not make this worse. Bring him back.”
Cody whimpered, “Do not let them take me.”
Janessa’s voice shook but she said, “As long as I am breathing, I will not.”
Adrenaline surged. She veered toward the maintenance gate near the stables. The path narrowed. Branches clawed at her sleeves. Dirt replaced stone, slowing the wheels. The wheel barrow hit a root and jerked violently. She nearly lost her grip. Cody tumbled to the side, laughing again, the wildness of it mingling with the chaos, making the world feel surreal.