Mera's legs burned with each stride, her breath ragged as she kept pace with Dian . Branches scraped at her arms and tangled in her hair, but she pressed on, driven by fear and the promise of freedom. The forest closed in around them, shadows stretching long beneath the moonlight. The sounds of the ceremony had faded, replaced by the steady rustle of leaves underfoot.
Dian ran ahead, his movements quick and sure, as if the forest bent to his will. Mera stumbled but righted herself, her pulse hammering. "How much farther?" she called breathlessly.
"Not far," Dian replied, glancing back over his shoulder. His eyes flickered with concern. "But we need to keep moving."
meranodded, swallowing the knot of exhaustion rising in her throat. There was no time to stop, no time to think about how close Lerius 's guards might be. Every step felt like a race against the inevitable.
They reached a narrow deer trail winding through thick underbrush. Dian slowed, motioning for her to follow closely. "Stay quiet. If they send scouts, we can't leave a trail."
merabit her lip and nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. The forest, once a place of imagined freedom, now felt like a labyrinth—each shadow a potential threat, each crack of a branch an omen.
The soft crunch of leaves halted them both. Dian froze mid-step, raising a hand to silence her. Mera's breath hitched as she strained her ears. At first, there was only the sound of her own heartbeat—loud and frantic in her ears. Then she heard it. The faint snap of a twig in the distance.
"They're coming," Dian whispered, his voice low and urgent. "We need to move faster." Mera's legs protested, but fear propelled her forward. They slipped through the undergrowth, Dian leading them deeper into the dense thicket. Every step felt like walking on glass—silent, but sharp with danger.
Suddenly, a howl echoed through the night, long and mournful. Mera's heart clenched in her chest. The wolves had found their trail.
Dian cursed under his breath, grabbing her hand. "Run. Now. They sprinted through the forest, the trees blurring as they dodged low branches and leapt over fallen logs. Mera's lungs burned, her legs threatening to give out, but she didn't stop. She couldn't.
Another howl answered the first, closer this time. They were being hunted, and the wolves weren't far behind.
The forest opened suddenly, revealing the jagged edge of a cliff. Mera skidded to a halt, her boots kicking up loose stones that tumbled into the abyss below. The moonlight shimmered on the river far beneath them, its waters rushing violently over jagged rocks.
Dian cursed under his breath, scanning their surroundings. "We have to jump."
Mera's breath hitched. "Are you mad? We'll die if we jump from here!"
"It's either that," Dian said, his voice grim, "or we wait for them to tear us apart."
A howl pierced the night, closer than before. meraturned to see shadows shifting between the trees. They were running out of time.
Dian took her hand, his grip firm and unyielding. "Trust me. On three."
Mera's heart pounded in her chest, terror clawing at her throat. But there was no other way. She nodded, her hand trembling in his.
"One."
The howls grew louder, the pack drawing nearer.
"Two."
Mera squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for what came next.
"Three!"
They leapt together, the wind rushing past them as the ground disappeared beneath their feet.
The icy river swallowed them whole, its current dragging them beneath the surface. Mera fought to breathe, the water stealing the air from her lungs. She kicked and thrashed, her limbs heavy and numb from the cold. The roar of the river filled her ears, drowning out everything else.
Dian 's hand found hers beneath the water, pulling her toward the surface. They broke through the surface together, gasping for air. The current dragged them downstream, battering them against rocks and debris. Mera's arms ached as she fought to stay afloat, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "Hold on!" Dian shouted, his voice barely audible over the roar of the river.
meraclung to a floating log, the rough bark scraping her hands. Dian swam beside her, guiding them toward the riverbank. With a final, desperate effort, they hauled themselves onto the muddy shore, collapsing in exhaustion.
meralay on her back, gasping for breath as the stars spun overhead. Her entire body trembled from the cold, but she was alive. They were alive.
Dian rolled onto his side, coughing up water. "We made it," he whispered, disbelieving his words.
Mera closed her eyes, relief washing over her like a tide. But the howls in the distance reminded her that the danger was far from over.
They stumbled through the forest, their clothes soaked and their limbs heavy with exhaustion. The river had bought them time, but not enough. Mera's heart ached with each step, the cold seeping into her bones.
"We need to find shelter," Dian said, his voice tight with urgency. "Before they pick up our trail again."
They pressed on, the forest pressing close around them. Every rustle of leaves, every distant howl, sent a jolt of fear through mera's chest. But she kept moving, driven by the knowledge that stopping meant death.
They reached a small clearing, the remains of an old hunting lodge hidden beneath thick ivy. Dian pushed the door open, and they slipped inside, collapsing onto the dusty floor.
For a moment, silence wrapped around them like a blanket. But just as Meera began to relax, a low growl rumbled from the shadows. She froze, her heart leaping into her throat.
From the darkness, a pair of glowing red eyes appeared, followed by a snarling wolf with matted fur and bared teeth. It wasn't one of Lerius 's hunters. This was something worse—a rogue.
Dian moved in front of her, drawing his dagger. "Stay behind me," he whispered.
The rogue wolf snarled, saliva dripping from its fangs as it prepared to lunge. Mera's pulse thundered in her ears, fear tightening its grip on her chest.
The standoff stretched for a heartbeat too long. And then, with a feral snarl, the rogue attacked.