The cart rattled down the dirt road, its wheels kicking up dust as it moved further from the capital. Lysandra kept her breathing steady, listening to the rhythmic creaks of the wooden frame. Every few minutes, she peeked past the heavy cloth, making sure no one was following them.
Jael sat in the corner, silent.
His face was set in stone, but the tension in his shoulders gave him away. The weight of his father's betrayal was crushing him.
She wanted to say something, but what words could fix this?
Instead, she let the silence stretch between them.
For now, escaping alive was enough.
The Kingdom Shifts
Night had fallen by the time the cart finally came to a halt.
Lysandra heard the merchant speaking with a guard, his voice casual, unaware of the two fugitives hidden beneath his cargo. She exchanged a glance with Jael, then quietly slipped out from under the cloth.
The road was lined with blackened torches, their flames flickering in the cold breeze. Beyond them, the rolling hills stretched far into the distance, leading to the outskirts of the kingdom—a place untouched by the politics of the capital.
They were safe.
For now.
Jael climbed out after her, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Lysandra could tell his mind was still in the capital, still replaying everything that had happened.
She hesitated before speaking. "We need to keep moving."
Jael blinked, as if snapping out of a trance. "Right."
But before they could take another step—
A distant horn sounded.
Lysandra froze.
Jael stiffened beside her. "That's a royal signal."
Another horn blasted through the night, this time closer.
Lysandra's stomach twisted. They had barely escaped, but Aldric was already hunting them down.
A King's Proclamation
Far behind them, back in the heart of the capital, Aldric sat on the throne of his ancestors.
The grand hall was filled with nobles, their faces unreadable as they listened to his first decree.
"The traitors, Lysandra of the cursed bloodline, and my treacherous son Jael, are to be found at all costs," his voice echoed through the chamber, low and commanding. "They are enemies of the kingdom."
Murmurs rippled through the court.
Aldric leaned forward, eyes glinting in the torchlight. "And for their crimes against the throne, they will be executed upon capture."
Silence followed. Then, one by one, the nobles bowed their heads.
The hunt was officially declared.
A Desperate Decision
Lysandra's heart pounded as she and Jael sprinted through the dense forest, the horns growing louder behind them. The soldiers were getting closer.
They wouldn't make it far like this.
She grabbed Jael's wrist, pulling him to a stop. "We need to split up."
Jael frowned. "That's a terrible idea."
"It's the only way. If we stay together, we're easier to track."
Jael hesitated, but the shouts of soldiers were closing in.
His expression darkened. "Fine. But we meet at the abandoned shrine near the river. At sunrise."
Lysandra nodded, then turned and ran in the opposite direction.
Jael hesitated just a moment longer before doing the same.
The Shadows Stir
Lysandra ran until her legs ached, weaving through the trees, her breath coming in short gasps. The branches whipped at her skin, but she didn't stop.
Then—she felt it.
A shift in the air.
The shadows moved.
She skidded to a stop, her eyes darting around the darkness. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying a presence that made her skin crawl.
Something was watching her.
And whatever it was—
It wasn't human.