The fading light of dusk painted the horizon in hues of deep crimson and gold, but I barely noticed. I slumped against the rough bark of a twisted tree, my breath ragged and shallow, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on me like a heavy cloak. Blood seeped slowly from the gash on my shoulder, staining the torn fabric of my tunic. Beside me, Elara lay still, her pale face marred by grime and fatigue. Her chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, but she was far from being the same person who had entered that fight by my side.
We had escaped, but at what cost?
I tilted my head back, trying to slow my racing heart. The fight with Augustus had drained us both, leaving us battered and vulnerable. Every muscle in my body ached, and the sharp sting of my wounds reminded me how close I had come to losing everything.
And yet, the forest offered no reprieve.
The trees around us, gnarled and thick, stood like silent sentinels, indifferent to our pain. The distant sound of water flowing somewhere in the darkness was the only comfort, and even that felt distant, like a hollow echo.
I forced myself to stay focused. The task wasn't finished. We had to move.
My eyes narrowed as I caught sight of something in the distance—a thin wisp of smoke curling into the sky, its dark plumes stark against the twilight. It wasn't the harmless kind of smoke from a dying campfire. No, this was thick and ominous, rising with purpose, a signal of activity. Someone was there.
My first instinct was to rise, to investigate. Smoke meant people, and people meant danger—or perhaps opportunity. Supplies, shelter, information. But my legs refused to obey, trembling under the strain of the last few hours. I glanced at Elara, her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. She wouldn't survive another encounter, not in her current state. Not with her strength fading so quickly.
Neither would I.
My jaw clenched. The urge to know gnawed at me, but caution overrode curiosity. The fight with Augustus had already cost us dearly. Another risk, especially in our weakened state, could be fatal.
"We can't," I muttered aloud, though there was no one to hear but the trees. My voice was hoarse, rasping from thirst and pain. "Not now."
I took a deep breath, forcing my gaze to shift away from the smoke. I needed to stay focused. We weren't ready for another fight, and if this was another trap, we'd never escape it. South, then. The north was too dangerous. Too many memories of Augustus, too many questions. South would offer something else, something we hadn't considered.
South meant rest, for now.
Elara stirred beside me, her eyelids fluttering open for a brief moment, glazed and unfocused. She let out a weak, questioning sound, barely audible. I couldn't help but feel the sharp pang of guilt. I had to keep her safe. I wasn't sure I could, but I had to try.
"It's nothing," I said softly, though I knew it was a lie. The smoke still lingered on the horizon, a ghostly threat that wouldn't let me forget. "We'll rest here. Just for a while."
She didn't respond, already slipping back into unconsciousness. I couldn't blame her. I envied her, in fact. To be free from the relentless ache, even for a moment, would be a mercy.
But I wasn't afforded such luxury. Not yet.
I shifted, pressing my back harder against the tree. I tore a strip of cloth from the hem of my tunic, wrapping it around my wounded shoulder with trembling hands. The makeshift bandage was crude, but it would have to suffice. There was no time—or strength—for more. Every movement felt like a battle against my own body. The blood kept flowing, slow but steady, as if it knew that I couldn't afford to waste any more.
The sun dipped lower, its last rays fading from the sky. The wind picked up, rustling the leaves around us, but it was a cold wind. I pulled my knees up to my chest, trying to preserve whatever warmth I had left. My thoughts kept drifting back to Augustus, to his smug smile, to the way he had stepped aside instead of pressing the advantage. Was it a mistake? Or was it something else? Had he let us go on purpose?
The questions gnawed at me, but I had no answers.
Night fell quickly, the forest cloaking us in shadows. The smoke still lingered on the horizon, but my eyes were too heavy to track it any longer. I let them close, surrendering to the darkness, even as every instinct screamed at me to stay vigilant.
---
When I awoke, it was to the pale light of dawn filtering through the trees, and the distant caw of a raven echoed ominously in the crisp morning air. My body protested as I shifted, muscles stiff and wounds throbbing. I grimaced, glancing over at Elara. She was still asleep, her face slack with exhaustion, but her breathing was deeper now, more even.
That was something, at least.
I forced myself to my feet, every step a test of will. The smoke was gone, dissipated with the night, but the memory of it lingered, a warning I could not ignore. The forest was waking up around us, the morning sunlight casting long shadows over the ground. The sound of birds calling out in the distance reminded me that the world didn't stop for our pain.
I knelt beside Elara, gently shaking her awake. "Elara. We need to move."
She blinked up at me, eyes heavy with exhaustion but alert enough to understand the urgency. She tried to sit up, wincing as she did. "Can't we… just a little longer?"
"No." My voice was firmer than I intended, but there was no time for softness. "We're not safe here."
She nodded reluctantly, pushing herself upright. Her limbs trembled with the effort, and I extended a hand to help her. She took it, her fingers cold against my skin, but I could feel her determination, even if it was faint. Together, we stumbled forward, each step a painful reminder of our fragility.
We moved south, away from the smoke, away from the fight, away from whatever dangers still lurked in the north. The forest was quiet, save for the rustle of leaves and the occasional birdcall. It was both comforting and unsettling. The sounds of life filled the air, but I couldn't help but feel we were intruders in this place, a place where survival wasn't guaranteed, no matter how hard we fought.
The day wore on, and with it, our strength began to fade. Elara's steps grew slower, her breath coming in ragged gasps, but she refused to stop.
I couldn't afford to stop. I wouldn't let her down. Not now. Not when it seemed like the world had conspired against us.
Hours passed in silence, the sun climbing higher, its warmth doing little to ease the chill that clung to my bones. We walked until Elara could no longer stand, her knees buckling beneath her.
I caught her before she hit the ground, lowering her gently onto a patch of moss. I crouched beside her, breathing hard. "We'll stop here."
Elara didn't argue this time. She simply nodded, curling into herself, eyes slipping shut once more. She was so tired. We both were.
I sat beside her, staring out into the forest. My eyes scanned the trees, ever watchful. I didn't trust the quiet, not anymore. Too many dangers had come from the shadows. What if Augustus wasn't the only one out there? What if there were others?
I glanced at Elara again, her face pale but peaceful in sleep. She was still alive. We both were. That was enough, for now.
The south was uncertain, just as the north had been. But we would keep moving, keep surviving. One step at a time, one breath after another.
For now, that would have to be enough.