The bounty hunter's voice did not follow them into the dark, nor did the sound of pursuit. The forest, once filled with the rhythmic clash of steel and the harsh rasp of breath, had fallen into an uneasy stillness. Only the distant rustle of leaves and the quiet hum of nocturnal life remained, as if the fight had never happened.
Taryn and Lucien pressed deeper into the wilderness, moving by instinct rather than sight, until the towering trees thinned and the ground sloped downward into shadow. At last, they found a cave—a hidden refuge carved into the rocky face of the ravine.
For a long moment, they stood at its mouth, their breathing heavy, their bodies still braced for an attack that didn't come. Lucien cast one last glance into the night, his sharp gaze searching the trees for any sign of movement. There was nothing.
"He won't follow," Lucien said, his voice quiet but certain. "Not yet. He likes the chase too much to end it quickly."
