Cecelia’s POV
The old grandfather clock down the hallway struck two in the morning, and I could hear the heavy boots of the four guards shuffling outside my door as they began their nightly shift rotation, their voices muffled by the thick wood as they exchanged brief greetings before walking down toward the main stairs.
I knew I only had about five minutes before the new set of enforcers arrived to take their places, so I moved quickly toward the glass terrace doors, holding Mary’s metal hairpin tightly between my fingers while my knees shook with pure adrenaline. I inserted the bent wire into the old brass lock mechanism, turning it carefully just like my stepfather showed me years ago when he used to lose his house keys, and a satisfying click echoed in the quiet room as the latch fi
