Chapter 2

But Elara had something else in her favor. She knew this forest was ancient, full of hidden paths and old magic. Though she couldn’t see them, she had felt the strange energy pulsing through the ground beneath her, guiding her in ways she couldn’t explain. There was a deeper connection here, something that stretched beyond the limits of her sight.

As she ran, she felt the faintest tremor beneath her feet — a signal, perhaps, or a warning. She veered to the right, following the sensation. The terrain became rockier, the air cooler. She could hear water trickling somewhere ahead, a stream cutting through the forest floor. Her pursuers were close now. She could hear their voices more clearly, their breath labored as they crashed through the underbrush. But they didn’t know the forest the way she did. They couldn’t sense the subtle shifts in the earth, the way the trees seemed to lean toward her, guiding her steps.

And then, without warning, the ground beneath her feet gave way.

Elara tumbled forward, her arms flailing as she fell into a narrow crevice. The drop was short but jarring, and she landed hard on her side, the wind knocked from her lungs. For a moment, she lay there, dazed and disoriented, the pain radiating through her body. But the sound of footsteps above jolted her back to reality.

She was hidden now, beneath the forest floor, in a natural fissure that had been concealed by the undergrowth. The men were still searching, their voices growing frustrated. Elara pressed herself against the cold stone walls, her breath shallow as she listened.They didn’t find her. After what felt like an eternity, the voices faded, and the forest was silent once more.

Elara let out a shaky breath, her fingers curling into the dirt. She had escaped, but only just. She wasn’t safe yet, and she knew it. But as she lay there in the dark, bruised and exhausted, a small spark of hope ignited within her.

For the first time in a long while, she was free. The forest stretched out before her, vast and untamed, and though she couldn’t see it, she could feel its promise in every breath of wind that passed through the trees.

Elara rose slowly, her legs trembling beneath her. She didn’t know where she would go from here, or how she would survive. But she had something far more valuable than sight — she had the will to keep going, and a connection to the forest that ran deeper than she could ever understand.

And with that, she began to move forward again, into the unknown, trusting that the forest would guide her home.

Elara stumbled through the darkness, her body aching from the fall and her heart pounding from the close escape. Every muscle in her body screamed for rest, but she couldn’t stop. She needed to put as much distance between herself and her captors as possible. The forest was her only refuge now.

But the sound of footsteps returned, closer this time. Her chest tightened as panic surged through her. They had found her again.

Before she could react, rough hands grabbed her from behind, yanking her down to the ground. She struggled, kicking wildly, but it was no use. She was pinned, her face pressed into the dirt. The smell of sweat and the sharp rasp of breath filled her senses. Her captor’s voice was low and menacing, a growl in her ear.

“You think you can escape, little mouse?” he snarled.

Elara’s heart pounded as his weight pressed down on her. She could hear him fumbling with his belt, the horrific realization of what was about to happen crashing down on her like a wave of icy water.

“No!” she screamed, thrashing with all her strength. But her efforts only seemed to fuel his cruelty. His hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her cries.

Tears streamed down her face, her mind racing for a way out. Desperation clawed at her. She could feel her body starting to shut down, the terror overwhelming her. She prayed for something — anything — to stop this nightmare.

Suddenly, a sharp crack rang out in the darkness.

The weight lifted off her, and she gasped for air, rolling to the side as her captor collapsed to the ground with a grunt. Elara scrambled away, trembling uncontrollably. She didn’t know what had happened, only that she was no longer pinned beneath him.

A moment later, she heard another voice — strong and commanding. “Stay down!”

The voice was followed by the thud of a fist meeting flesh. Her captor groaned in pain, then went silent.

Elara lay there, her breaths shallow and ragged, unsure if this new presence was friend or foe. But then she felt a hand — gentle, cautious — touch her arm.

“Are you hurt?” the man asked, his voice soft now, a stark contrast to the harshness he’d just used against her attacker.

Elara couldn’t find her voice. She was shaking too much, her body still in shock from the assault. But she could hear the concern in his tone, and something about it soothed her enough to nod, though she wasn’t even sure what she was answering.

“It’s alright,” he said, helping her to sit up. “You’re safe now. He won’t hurt you again.”

Elara still couldn’t see him, but the kindness in his voice made her believe him. She felt his arm wrap protectively around her as he guided her to her feet. She clung to him, her body weak and trembling.

“What’s your name?” he asked gently.

“Elara,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

“I’m Kael,” he said. “Let’s get you out of here.”

And for the first time in days, she felt a glimmer of hope.

To be continued

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