Chapter 7: In to the fire
Alenya pressed herself against the log, her breath escaping in shallow gasps. Her heart thundered in her chest, each beat echoing the growing sense of dread that gnawed at her. The figure in the clearing hadn't moved yet, but she could feel the weight of his presence, the oppressive darkness that seemed to cling to the air around him. There was not a shadow of doubt in her mind that he was one of Drenyar's men.
Beside her, Kael remained crouched, his sword drawn, his gaze fixed on the cloaked figure. His body was tense, poised to strike, but Alenya noticed something different in his posture. It wasn't fear exactly, but a measured caution. He knew what they were up against.
And so did she.
The dark magic radiating from the man in the clearing was thick and suffocating, unlike anything she had felt before. It made her skin crawl, her instincts screaming at her to flee. But there was no running now. They were surrounded. Kael had said as much, and the soft rustle of movement in the trees only confirmed it.
More were coming.
Kael leaned closer to her, his voice barely a whisper. "We need to move. Now."
Alenya's pulse quickened. "But they'll see us."
"Not if we're fast." Kael's eyes flicked to the line of trees ahead. "There's a path through the woods. It'll be narrow, but if we can get to it before they close in, we might have a chance."
"Might?" she asked, her voice tight with frustration.
Kael didn't respond. He didn't need to. They both knew the odds weren't in their favour.
The man in the clearing finally moved, his head tilting slightly, as if he were listening for something. Alenya held her breath, her magic simmering just beneath the surface, begging to be unleashed. She knew it would be reckless to use it now, but the temptation was almost unbearable. She could feel the power pulsing in her veins, desperate to defend her.
Before she could make a decision, Kael gave her a sharp nod. "Go."
In one swift motion, Kael was on his feet, moving like a shadow towards the trees. Alenya followed close behind, her heart pounding as they darted between the trees, staying low to the ground. Her cloak caught on a branch, but she tore it free without slowing, her eyes locked on Kael's back as he led the way.
The wind whipped through the trees, carrying with it the faint scent of rain and something foul, like the stench of decay. Alenya glanced over her shoulder, her breath catching when she saw more figures emerging from the woods, cloaked and hooded, their movements slow and harmonised. Drenyar's men.
She quickened her pace, nearly stumbling over a root as she ran. Her magic buzzed at the edge of her awareness, but she forced it down. They couldn't afford to draw more attention. Not yet.
Kael veered to the left, leading them deeper into the trees, the path growing narrower and more treacherous with each step. The forest seemed to close in around them, the branches reaching out like skeletal hands, snagging their clothes, pulling at their skin. Alenya's lungs burned from the effort, but she kept moving, driven by the fear of what would happen if they stopped.
Suddenly, Kael skidded to a halt, his hand shooting up to signal her to stop. Alenya froze, her heart still racing as she crouched beside him. They had reached a small ridge, the ground dropping off sharply into a deep ravine below. The sound of rushing water filled her ears, and she realized there was a river cutting through the forest just ahead.
Kael's jaw tightened as he scanned the area. "We'll have to jump."
Alenya's eyes widened. "Are you insane? That's a ten-foot drop!"
Kael didn't respond. He was already calculating the distance, his eyes narrowing as he gauged their chances. Behind them, the rustling in the trees grew louder. Drenyar's men were getting closer.
"We don't have a choice," he said grimly.
Alenya swallowed hard, her stomach twisting with fear. She hated this. She despised the feeling of being trapped, and hated the feeling of being forced into impossible decisions. But Kael was right. There was no other way.
"Stay close," he ordered.
Without waiting for her to argue, he sprinted toward the edge of the ridge and leaped. For a heart-stopping moment, Alenya watched him disappear over the edge, her pulse hammering in her ears. Then, without giving herself time to hesitate, she jumped after him.
As her feet left the ground, she was weightless, suspended in midair. The world tilted, the wind roaring in her ears as she plummeted toward the river below. Her breath caught in her throat, and then…impact.
She hit the water hard, the cold shock knocking the breath out of her lungs. The current was swift, dragging her under almost immediately. Alenya's limbs thrashed as she fought to find the surface, her lungs burning, her mind racing with panic. The river was stronger than she had expected, pulling her downstream with a force that made it nearly impossible to orient herself.
Finally, her head broke the surface, and she gasped for air, choking on water as the current swept her along. She could hear Kael's voice somewhere nearby, shouting her name, but the river's roar drowned out his words.
Alenya struggled to keep her head above water, her arms and legs burning with the effort of swimming against the current. She caught sight of Kael ahead of her, gripping onto a large rock jutting out of the water. He extended his arm toward her, his expression grim.
"Grab on!" he shouted over the roar of the river.
She fought her way toward him, her arms aching, her heart pounding in her chest. The water surged around her, pushing her back, but she forced herself to keep going. With one last burst of energy, she reached out and grabbed his hand.
Kael pulled her toward the rock, his grip strong as he steadied her out of the water. Alenya collapsed onto the rock, gasping for breath, her body trembling from the cold and exhaustion.
For a moment, they both sat in silence, their breathing laboured, the roar of the river filling the air. Alenya's clothes clung to her skin, soaked through, and her limbs felt heavy, like she was carrying the weight of the entire world.
"We need…" Alenya met Kael's eyes.
"…to keep moving," he breathed, his voice was rough with fatigue.
Alenya glanced over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the riverbank. The cloaked figures hadn't followed them into the water. Not yet at least. But they were still close. She could feel it in the air, the same dark energy that surrounded Drenyar's man back in the clearing.
Kael pushed himself to his feet, his movements slow but determined. "There's a cave upstream. We can take cover there."
Alenya nodded, though her body protested at the thought of moving again. Every muscle ached, and her mind was still reeling from her close encounter to drowning. But she knew better than to stop and rest, with Drenyar's men closing in.
Kael helped her to her feet, his arm steadying her as they scrambled along the rocky edge of the river. The cave, when they finally reached it, was little more than a narrow opening in the cliffside, hidden behind a curtain of vines. Once inside, Kael collapsed against the wall, his breathing still heavy, his clothes soaked and clinging to his skin. Alenya sank down beside him, her body trembling from the cold and exhaustion.
For a long moment, they sat in silence, the sound of the river muffled by the cave walls. Alenya could feel her magic stirring again, her body instinctively drawing on it to heal, to warm her. She forced it back down, cautious to avoid attracting any attention.
"You saved my life back there." Kael's unexpected words surprised her.
Alenya glanced at him, deciphering the legitimacy of his statement. He wasn't looking at her, his gaze fixed on the entrance of the cave. His body remained facing her, a subconscious revelation of the sense of security he felt around her.
"You saved mine too," she responded sincerely.
Kael's lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile, but one that didn't reach his eyes. "I suppose that makes us even."
Alenya didn't respond. The truth was, they weren't even. Not really. Kael was still keeping secrets…still hiding things from her. Now, with Drenyar's men on their trail, those secrets tip the scale even more.
The wind howled outside, the shadows in the cave growing darker, more oppressive. Alenya pulled her knees to her chest, her body trembling from the cold.
"You knew this was coming, didn't you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kael didn't answer right away. His eyes were distant, lost in thought. Finally, he sighed, running a hand through his wet, cocoa-tinged hair.
"I knew Drenyar wouldn't stop," he said quietly. "Not until he found you."
Alenya's stomach twisted with fear, her heart pounding in her chest. She had always known her magic was dangerous, but hearing Kael speak of how much Drenyar desired it, made everything more terrifying.
"And you…" her voice trailed off with a tremor. Kael's green eyes sparkled with concern as he met her downcast gaze.
"What do you want from me?" she managed to ask.
"I want to keep you alive," he replied. "Because if Drenyar finds you, it's over for both of us."
Weekly Power Status
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