Until the Stars Align
Chapter 8 — Lost in the Dark
Luka's legs burned as he tore through the trees, the cold night air scraping his lungs raw with every gasp.
Branches whipped against his arms, snapping under his feet as he plunged blindly into the forest. Somewhere ahead, muffled voices — low, urgent — tangled with the sound of Aria's ragged breathing. Every second that passed tightened the coil of panic in his chest.
"Aria!" His voice cracked against the quiet, desperate and raw. "Aria, answer me!"
No answer. Just the rustle of leaves, the crunch of footsteps, and then — silence.
"Dammit…" Luka pushed harder, ignoring the sting of branches clawing his face. His mind was chaos, white-hot rage tangled with fear. He didn't think about what he'd do when he found her. He just had to find her.
Then, through the dense trees, he caught it — a glint of fabric fluttering from a low branch. Her ribbon.
Luka skidded to a stop, chest heaving as he ripped the ribbon free. His pulse thundered in his ears as he scanned the ground, following the faint impressions of hurried footsteps pressed into the dirt. They were moving fast, dragging her deeper into the woods.
"Hang on," he breathed, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm coming."
---
The forest swallowed him whole as he followed the trail. The deeper he went, the darker it grew — the moonlight thinning to narrow veins between the trees. Every shadow felt alive, every crack of a branch behind him made his grip on his bag tighten like a lifeline.
Then he heard it.
A voice — faint, choked.
"...Luka…"
His body moved before his mind caught up, sprinting toward the sound until the trees opened into a narrow clearing.
Two men stood there. One tall and broad-shouldered, the other lean and sharp-eyed, both dressed in dark clothes that swallowed the moonlight. Between them, Aria struggled, her wrists bound, her face pale but furious.
Luka didn't think.
He charged.
The first man turned just in time to catch Luka's shoulder slamming into his ribs. They crashed to the ground, the impact ripping the air from Luka's lungs, but he didn't stop. He threw a wild punch, then another, landing one clean against the man's jaw. Pain shot up Luka's arm, but adrenaline drowned it out.
"Run, Aria!" Luka shouted, voice breaking.
The leaner man lunged, grabbing for Luka's collar, but Luka twisted, kicking him hard in the knee before shoving to his feet.
Aria's eyes — wide, terrified — met his for a split second. Then she bolted, tearing into the trees, her bound wrists making her stumble but not stop.
"Go!" Luka roared, turning to face the men again.
The broad-shouldered one growled, scrambling upright, but Luka didn't wait to see if they'd follow. He spun on his heel and sprinted after her, the sound of angry footsteps crashing behind him like a storm.
---
They didn't stop running until the forest blurred into a tangle of black and silver. Luka's legs screamed for rest, his breath tearing through his throat, but every time Aria stumbled, he caught her, pulled her along.
Finally, when his body threatened to collapse, they ducked under the hollowed-out frame of an abandoned park rest shelter — half-rotted wood, broken beams, the faint smell of damp earth.
Luka dropped to his knees, chest heaving. "You… okay?"
Aria leaned against the splintered wall, trembling but breathing, her wide eyes searching his face. "I—" Her voice cracked. She swallowed hard. "I thought—"
"You're fine," Luka cut in, softer now, though his voice was still shaking. "You're safe. I've got you."
For a moment, the only sound was their ragged breathing, the distant rustle of leaves as the forest swallowed the footsteps of the men still searching.
Aria's hands shook as she tried to tug at the rope binding her wrists. Luka noticed and, without a word, pulled the small utility knife from his bag — one he always carried, a habit from his late-night city walks.
"Hold still," he murmured.
The rope gave way with a faint snap. Aria flinched when her hands came free, rubbing her sore wrists. Luka noticed the red marks there, his jaw tightening.
"They hurt you," he said quietly. Not a question.
Aria blinked at him, startled by the quiet steel in his voice. "It's… it's nothing."
"No," Luka said, shaking his head. "It's not nothing." He looked away for a second, staring out into the dark. "People should never—" His voice caught. He tried again, softer. "People should never treat someone like that. You're… not something they can just take."
Aria stared at him, stunned into silence. In the dim light, with the forest pressing close and the night humming around them, his words felt heavier than they should have — like a promise.
For a moment, she forgot the fear. She forgot the danger. All she could see was Luka, sitting there, scraped and bruised but steady, like some unshakable constant in a world that had been nothing but chaos.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice so soft he almost missed it.
Luka met her gaze, the faintest hint of a smile touching his lips. "Don't thank me yet. We're not out of this."
---
Hours slipped by, slow and restless. They didn't dare light a fire. Luka stayed by the shelter's broken opening, eyes scanning the darkness, listening for every snap of a branch, every shift of leaves.
At some point, Aria drifted closer, exhaustion pulling at her frame. She hesitated — then, wordlessly, leaned against his shoulder.
Luka froze, his pulse jumping. But then, slowly, he let himself relax, just enough to tilt his head slightly toward her.
She was trembling. Barely. But he felt it.
And so he stayed awake, silent, watching the night for movement, his jaw set with quiet resolve.
Protect her.
That was all that mattered.
---
Somewhere deep in the forest, a twig snapped.
Luka's eyes snapped open.
The danger wasn't over.
Not yet.
TO BE CONTINUED...