Then, I grabbed my shoes and slipped them back onto my feet, cringing at the cold sogginess to them. With agonizingly slow movements, I crawled closer to the exit, my focus on the rise and fall of the Issaraeth’s chest.
Fingers hooking the edge of the canvas, I tugged it wider and glanced around. Bursting through would surely wake him. I wasn’t sure where Ilae was either. But if I could find another spot to hide for the briefest of moments, they’d race away, leaving more opportunity to choose a different direction and put distance between us.
But the mist made it impossible to see.
A snort sounded behind me, and I whipped around, finding my captor flopping onto his back. But he was still asleep.
Thank the Goddess.
It was a sign I had no more time to waste, though. I rose to my feet, hands trembling with anticipation. I lifted the flap higher, wedging my shoulder into the now-open space. A cool breeze drifted in, and I winced, hoping that wouldn’t wake him.
I shimmied further, getting stuck at the juncture between my shoulder and neck.
Now or never.
Muscles tensing, I prepared to launch myself into the storm. A clap of thunder shot me into action. I leaped, clearing the stairs, and landed lightly on the sodden ground. The muck squelched beneath my shoes as I sprinted away, peering into the fog.
Where is another carved-out tree?
Unlike my dream, my legs moved with fluid grace, carrying me on as fast as I could manage.My lungs burned from the effort, but the knowledge I was claiming a chance at freedom propelled me forward. I cut right, hugging the trunk of a tree to slingshot myself around it, and headed back toward the mountains.
It was safer there than in the forest.
A steel-edged baritone voice sliced through the rain some distance away.
Fuck. The Issaraeth had awoken. Which meant I was running out of time to shake him off my trail.
The stakes were higher than they’d ever been.
This wasn’t a mere escape attempt, like I’d executed countless times before.
No, this was life or death for me. It was rebellion against the monarchy. Defiance of what the Goddess hadgiftedme.
And I wasn’t going to let anyone steal this moment.
A thick root appeared in my path, and I leaped over it, hitting the other side at a dead sprint. Rain lashed my face, plastering my hair to my skin. I blinked droplets off my lashes, risking a moment to wipe my face with the back of my hand.
Not like it helped.
I was soaked through yet again.
Boulders appeared like a beacon, and I careened toward them, praying for a place to hide.
Until a shadow emerged from the mist. A low hum reached my ears.
Ilae.
I skidded to a stop, making a quick survey of my surroundings, then dodged left, hoping he hadn’t seen me. The trees and brush were thick, and I dove into them, not caring if they scraped my skin.
The specter sailed by, seeming not to notice me.
My chest heaved from my exertion, but I couldn’t stop. Notif the auravane was that close. If he spotted me, the Issaraeth wouldn’t be far behind.
One minute.
I gulped down moist air, willing my heart rate to slow. A branch snapped as I shifted my weight. It tumbled to the wet earth, its sharp point sticking straight up. An idea sparked in my mind. I grasped it, twisting it in my fingers and shoving it into the lock on the bronze cuff.
If I could access my magic again, it would aid in my escape.
