Aziel's chest heaved rapidly as he sprinted through the dense, tangled woods, his long strides effortlessly closing the distance between him and the figure stumbling through the trees ahead. Dried leaves and fallen twigs crunched loudly beneath his shoes. Just a few yards in front, Irene was pushing frantically through the overgrown bushes, her clothes snagged by sharp thorns, her breathing ragged and loud in the quiet forest. She was moving on pure panic, but she was nowhere near fast enough.
Aziel surged forward, reaching out with a long arm and catching her firmly by the wrist. He yanked her back, spinning her round so fast that her feet slipped on the wet carpet of snow.
