The Warlord's Unexpected Affection
chapter 2
Ava awoke to the sound of rushing water.
Her head throbbed as she pushed herself upright, the damp earth cold against her skin.
The dry heat of the excavation site was gone.
Instead, crisp, pine-scented air filled her lungs.
Tall trees loomed around her, their dense canopy filtering the sunlight.
A gentle stream ran nearby
This wasn't the excavation site
Ava Harrison
Think, Ava. This had to be a dream. A hallucination.
Ava Harrison
Maybe I had hit my head?
*panicked*
The relic lay beside her, now dull and lifeless.
Ava Harrison
Hello? Is anyone there?
*shouted, trembling voice*
She turned in circles, scanning the trees.
No distant roads, no signs of modern civilization.
Ava Harrison
*clenched her fists, forcing herself to focus*
Her best chance of survival was to follow the stream.
If there were people nearby, they would likely be downstream.
Ava Harrison
*slipped the relic’s chain over her head, letting it rest against her collarbone*
Ava Harrison
*Began walking along the stream*
The forest was eerily quiet except for the occasional rustling of leaves.
Ava Harrison
*turned toward the sound*
Relief flooded through her.
Ava Harrison
People! Maybe they can help me!
*to herself*
she hurried toward the voices, stepping carefully over rocks and uneven ground.
As she drew closer, she saw figures standing near the riverbank.
Ava Harrison
Hello?
*called out, stepping forward*
Then, as she stepped closer, she caught sight of them-men dressed in rough, worn clothes, armed with swords and daggers.
They weren’t travelers. They weren’t villagers. They were warriors.
One of them turned his head sharply, eyes locking onto her.
"Now, this is a rare sight"
the men said, smirking
Ava’s instincts screamed at her.
Ava Harrison
*turned around and ran*
Branches scratched her arms, her feet stumbling over roots and rocks, but she didn’t stop.
Heavy footsteps pounded behind her.
Ava pushed herself harder, lungs burning as she weaved through the trees.
But she was no match for them.
A hand suddenly grabbed her arm, yanking her back.
Ava Harrison
Let go of me!!
*screamed*
Ava Harrison
*Struggled, kicking out*
Ava Harrison
AHHHH!! LET GO OF ME!!!
One of them, a gruff-looking man with a scar across his cheek, smirked.
"Don’t bother screaming, love. No one will hear you."
The man's fingers reached for Ava's cheek, a lazy smirk curling his lips as if she were some exotic prize for his amusement.
"The gods must favor me today—look at the gift they’ve dropped into my lap."
Ava Harrison
Don't You Dare Touch Me!!
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