The crash of the crown still echoed in my skull, but it wasn't the sound that drove me—it was the roar rising from below. The Zurahs had seen us. The people had seen us. And their fury was like a wave breaking against the mountainside.
"Go!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the pounding drums and the shouts echoing from the square below.
Kael didn't need to be told twice. He darted ahead, his movements quick and sure on the jagged path. I turned back, my eyes locking on Cynane as she struggled to keep up. Her brace caught on the uneven stone, slowing her down, and my stomach twisted at the sight. She was trying, but it wasn't enough.
I didn't think. I acted.
I ran back to her, my boots skidding on loose gravel as I slid to her side. She glanced up, her gray eyes wide with frustration and panic. "Aya, I can—"
"No, you can't," I cut her off, crouching low to scoop her into my arms. She wasn't heavy, but the strain of the climb and the adrenaline crashing through my veins made every step feel like dragging stone.
"Aya—" she started again, but I didn't let her finish.
"We're not leaving you," I said, my voice firm. "So stop wasting your breath arguing and hold on."
Cynane's arms wrapped tightly around my neck, and I could feel the tension in her body, the way she hated this. I hated it too—not because of the weight but because it was a reminder of everything we couldn't change. Yet.
I straightened, my legs burning as I pushed forward. The path was narrow, a jagged ledge carved into the mountainside that seemed to get steeper with every step. The wind bit at my face, carrying the shouts of the Zurahs as they began their ascent. They were faster than I wanted to admit, their movements eerily precise as they scaled the rocks like they'd done it a thousand times.
"Aya!" Kael's voice called from up ahead, sharp and urgent. He was already at the curve where the path veered out of sight. "Hurry!"
"I'm trying!" I snapped, gritting my teeth as I adjusted Cynane's weight. My arms ached, but I didn't stop. I couldn't.
The drums were a thunderous pulse beneath us, pounding in rhythm with my heart. The shouts of the Zurahs grew louder, closer, their voices a chilling counterpoint to the roar of the crowd below. I didn't look back. I didn't need to. I could feel them gaining ground.
Kael reappeared at the bend, his face pale and drawn but determined. He darted back toward me, his hand outstretched. "Give her to me!" he said, his voice tight.
"No," I said, shaking my head. "Just clear the way!"
Kael hesitated, his eyes flicking to the Zurahs before he nodded. He turned and ran ahead, his movements quick and deliberate as he grabbed loose rocks and began hurling them onto the path behind us. The sound of stone clattering against stone filled the air, mingling with the growing cacophony of the chase.
The Zurahs were relentless, their ash-covered forms moving like shadows against the firelight below. Their gold-traced patterns glimmered ominously, catching and reflecting the flickering flames. Each step they took seemed calculated, purposeful, as if they were born to hunt. The weight of their pursuit was suffocating, pressing down on me with every ragged breath.
The narrow ledge trembled underfoot, the rock loosening as Kael threw down another handful of debris to slow them. He was methodical, precise, his face tight with concentration, but I could see the strain in his movements. We couldn't keep this pace forever.
"Kael!" I shouted, my voice tearing through the wind. "Keep moving! Don't stop for us!"
He hesitated for the briefest moment, his eyes locking on mine. I knew he hated leaving me to carry Cynane, hated that he couldn't shoulder more of the burden. But he also knew I wouldn't let him. Not now.
He nodded, jaw clenched, and turned back toward the bend, disappearing around the curve of the mountain. Cynane clung to me tightly, her breath warm against my neck as she whispered, "You should've left me."
"Shut up," I bit out, my tone harsher than I meant. "We don't leave anyone behind. You know that."
Her grip tightened, and I could feel the tremble in her arms. Whether it was from fear or frustration, I couldn't tell. Maybe it was both. But there was no time to dwell on it.
The Zurahs' shouts were closer now, their voices cutting through the wind like knives. I could hear the scrape of their boots against the stone, the rhythmic sound of their pursuit as they gained on us. My legs burned, my arms screamed, but I pushed forward.
The mountain path narrowed further, forcing me to hug the jagged wall as the drop to the right plunged into darkness. I focused on the next step, then the next, my mind a blur of desperation and determination. The wind howled around us, tugging at my cloak, threatening to throw us off balance.
The Zurahs were closing in. Their shouts sliced through the wind, sharp and commanding, a grim harmony to the pounding of my heart. The scrape of their boots against stone grew louder, and I could feel the vibration of their pursuit beneath my feet. The air was thick with tension, every second stretched taut like a bowstring ready to snap.
The path twisted sharply, the jagged cliff wall pressing against my shoulder as the drop to the right yawned into a black abyss. The wind whipped at my hair, tugging at my cloak like an unseen hand trying to pull me back. I clung to the wall, my fingers scraping against the rough stone as I maneuvered us forward. Each step was a battle against gravity, against the mountain, against the Zurahs breathing down our necks.
A sudden shout rang out, closer than I expected, and my stomach dropped. I chanced a glance back, and my blood ran cold. One of the Zurahs had leapt onto the ledge behind us, their movements fluid and predatory. The others weren't far behind, their forms flickering in and out of the shadows as they climbed with an eerie, practiced ease.
"Kael!" I yelled, my voice breaking. "They're right on us!"
He reappeared at the curve, his chest heaving, a wildness in his eyes that mirrored my own. Without hesitation, he grabbed a loose boulder and shoved it into the narrowest part of the path. It wasn't enough to block them, but it might slow them down.
"We can't outrun them like this!" he shouted back, his voice hoarse but unyielding. "Aya—"
"I know!" My legs burned, and the sharp edge of exhaustion dug into my resolve, but I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. "Just keep clearing the path ahead!"
Cynane shifted in my arms, her grip tightening as she whispered, "Aya, they're too close."
"I don't care," I spat, my voice a mixture of defiance and desperation. "We're not stopping."
The Zurahs were gaining, their shouts echoing off the cliffs, relentless and unwavering. The firelight below cast jagged shadows across the mountainside, making everything feel more alive, more immediate. My vision blurred with the sting of sweat and wind, but I blinked it away, focusing on the path ahead.
Kael turned the corner, his form swallowed by the darkness. Cynane's breath was warm against my ear, her heart racing as fast as mine. The sound of the Zurahs' boots was deafening now, the vibration of their pursuit shaking the very ground beneath us.
And then it happened.
A figure lunged from the shadows ahead, cutting Kael off with a speed that left no room for reaction. Another Zurah dropped down behind us, their golden markings glowing like embers in the firelight. We were surrounded.
My heart slammed against my ribs as I skidded to a halt, spinning to face the Zurah closing in from behind. Cynane clung tighter, her breath catching in her throat, and Kael's voice broke through the chaos.
I twisted sharply, my boots skidding on the loose gravel as I set Cynane down, gripping her arm to steady her. Her face was pale, her breaths quick and shallow, but she nodded as if to say she understood. I didn't hesitate, stepping in front of her like a shield.
Kael darted toward us, his expression a mix of desperation and anger. "Aya, no—"
But I didn't let him finish. I turned to face the Zurahs head-on, my hands balled into fists at my sides. The path was too narrow, the cliff's edge looming just a step away. There was nowhere to go.
"Stay back," I said, my voice low but unwavering. The wind carried the words, stripping them bare, but the defiance in them was clear.
The Zurah ahead of me tilted their head, their movements unsettlingly deliberate. They didn't speak, their silence more chilling than any threat could be. Behind me, Cynane clutched at the jagged rock wall, her breaths labored, while Kael's heavy footfalls stopped just short of my side.
"You want me?" I shouted, my voice cracking but loud enough to echo. "Fine. Come on!"
The Zurah lunged, their speed unnerving. I moved without thinking, the instinct to protect overpowering the fear that clawed at my chest. My foot connected with the loose edge of a rock, and I kicked it toward them, forcing them to adjust their approach. It bought me a second—barely enough time.
I stepped into their path, slamming my shoulder into theirs as they closed the distance. Pain shot through my arm, but I used the momentum to throw them off balance, sending them stumbling closer to the edge. The second Zurah was on me in an instant, their hand grabbing for my cloak.
Kael roared, slamming into them from the side, his momentum forcing the Zurah to release their grip. He didn't stop, using his weight to shove them back as far as the narrow path would allow.
"Aya, get Cynane out of here!" Kael shouted, his voice raw with effort.
I didn't move. I couldn't. My body was frozen between fight and flight, the Zurah from before already regaining their footing. Cynane's voice broke through the chaos, weak but insistent: "Aya, please!"
I spun back toward her. Before I could reach her, a third Zurah dropped from above, landing between us. The shockwave of their impact sent small rocks tumbling into the abyss below.
"No!" I screamed, charging forward, my hands grabbing for the Zurah's arm. I yanked hard, putting everything I had into pulling them away from Cynane. My feet slid against the loose stone, my balance faltering as they twisted free and knocked me back.
Kael was on them a second later, but it wasn't enough. The Zurahs worked in unison, their movements precise, relentless. One swept Kael's legs out from under him while another seized Cynane by the arm. Their screams pierced the air, and something inside me snapped.
I lunged for the Zurah holding Cynane, ignoring the pain in my legs and arms. My hand found the edge of their cloak, and I yanked with all my strength. The fabric tore, and for a moment, they stumbled, giving Cynane just enough space to twist away.
But the victory was short-lived. A sharp blow landed against my side, and the air was knocked from my lungs. I crumpled, gasping, my vision blurring as more Zurahs surrounded us. Kael fought like a cornered animal, his fists and elbows landing with desperate force, but it wasn't enough.
"Run!" I choked out, even as I knew it was futile. "Cynane, run!"
She didn't move. She couldn't. Two Zurahs closed in on her, their hands steady and unyielding as they grabbed her arms. Kael's shout of rage filled the air, but he was dragged back, his struggles met with the cold efficiency of trained hunters.
I fought to my feet, my body screaming in protest, but a hand slammed against my shoulder, forcing me back down. My knees hit the stone hard, and a wave of dizziness swept over me. Still, I thrashed, my fists connecting with nothing but air as they pinned me in place.
The Zurahs didn't speak as they bound our hands, their grip firm but not cruel. The firelight from below reflected in their dark eyes, their expressions unreadable beneath the ash and soot. The world around me blurred—the shouts from the square, the pounding of drums, the wind howling through the mountain passes—all of it melted into a distant roar.
I looked to Cynane, then to Kael. Both were restrained but alive. That was all I could ask for. For now.
The Zurahs hauled us to our feet, their movements as efficient as ever. One of them stepped closer, their eyes locking with mine. They didn't speak, but the message was clear: This wasn't over.