I dart from the stables to the truck as quietly as my legs can carry me. Luckily, I’m light on my feet, and Paolo doesn’t stop whistling, a good indication he’s in his own little world. Even so, I’m still convinced he’s going to figure it out as I fling myself up onto the bumper and into the truck bed. It creaks as I lower myself onto my hands and knees, and I curse when I hear Paolo’s whistling falter. There’s a long moment of silence, and then he grumbles something to himself. I peek through the back window to see he’s dropped his keys on the way over here, and I release a silent prayer as I quietly edge myself as far beneath the toolbox as I can manage. When I’ve done that, I wait, hoping against hope he doesn’t check the truck bed before he gets inside.

One minute passes. Then two. And then finally, I hear the telltale sound of him opening the door and climbing into the cab, and I breathe a sigh of relief. He fires up the engine, and the truck bed rattles against me as we roll forward over the unpaved earth.

I still feel like I can’t breathe as I count the seconds and wait for the guards to inevitably stop us. I’m so certain it’s going to happen that I have to suppress the urge to puke all over again. Every time I’ve tried to escape this place, something has dragged me back, and I’m convinced this time will be no different. But as I’m holding my breath, counting the tops of the trees that line the drive, the truck slows and then comes to a halt at what I know must be the gate. And I think this is it. I know there’s a guard out here too. He’s going to look. He’s going to capture me.

Instead, the gate whirs open, the truck rolls forward, and I realize with equal parts terror and relief that that didn’t happen. Paolo pulls onto the main roadway, and I fight the tears stinging my eyes as I wish for one last look at Judge’s estate.

My home.

That word reverberates through my skull until I pull myself together and open my phone. I shoot a text to Solana with trembling fingers, letting her know I’ve made it out. She’s already texted me a bunch of times, and I can see she’s been worried based on what she saw this afternoon.