The cold night air entered Aveline's skin and gave her goosebumps as she and Gabriel stumbled into the thick forest, running from the chaos in the fortress. Their breaths were coming out in bits for them to steady themselves, and every muscle in Aveline's body was aching her to the bones, but she didn't stop. They had barely escaped with their lives, and the importance of their discovery weighed heavily on her chest.
Behind her, Gabriel was not running as fast as expected, holding onto his side where a rogue's blade had cut him.
"We can't stop here," Aveline said sharply, looking over her shoulder. "They'll come after us."
Gabriel nodded in acceptance, his jaw tight and filled with pain, but he didn't complain. They moved deeper into the woods until they found a small clearing surrounded by thick trees, offering a brief relief from their dangerous escape.
As soon as they stopped, Aveline came close to Gabriel, her eyes shining and filled with anger.
