The forest seemed alive with shadows, the gnarled branches clawing at the sky like skeletal fingers. Carl led Amelia deeper into the dense undergrowth, his steps purposeful but frantic. Each crack of a twig beneath their feet sent her heart racing. The faint glow of torchlight behind them served as a grim reminder, they were being hunted.
Amelia stumbled, her dress catching on a thorny bush. "Wait!" she hissed, yanking her skirt free. "I can't keep up if you keep dragging me like this."
Carl turned, his face twisted in frustration. "We don't have time for your complaints. Move faster, or they'll catch us both!"
"Maybe you should've thought about that before forcing me to come with you," she shot back, her voice trembling.
Carl's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond. Instead, he grabbed her wrist again, pulling her forward. "We'll reach the old riverbed soon. The guards won't know where to look after that."
