Alina ran until her lungs burned, until her legs threatened to give out beneath her. Only when the sounds of battle faded into the distance did she dare to slow down, her breath ragged.
She pressed herself against the trunk of a towering oak, gripping the parchment so tightly her knuckles turned white. Kael… She had left him behind.
Guilt clawed at her, but she forced herself to think. Kael was strong, experienced—he wouldn't have told her to run unless he believed he could handle himself. If she went back now, she'd only be a liability.
She had to trust him.
For now, she needed to focus on survival.
Her eyes darted to the parchment, scanning the celestial markings once more. The Ruins of Eldryn—her only lead. If Kael managed to escape, that would be the first place he'd look for her.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and moved forward, deeper into the forest.
###
Hours passed as she followed the hidden trails, relying on her memory of old maps. She knew the ruins were located near the base of the Dawnspire Mountains, but reaching them on foot would take at least a day—longer if she had to stay off the main roads.
As the sun began to set, Alina found shelter in a thicket near a shallow stream. Exhaustion weighed on her, but her mind wouldn't rest. Who were these people hunting her? How did they know about the star before she had even discovered it?
And the robed man…
She shuddered at the memory of his power. The way he had flung Kael aside with a mere gesture. The hooded woman from the night before had done something similar. These people weren't just warriors—they were something else entirely.
Her fingers traced the edges of the parchment, her resolve hardening.
If this knowledge was dangerous, then she needed to understand why.
The only way forward was through the ruins.
###
Night had fully descended by the time she heard the first sign of pursuit.
The snap of a branch. The rustle of movement just beyond the treeline.
Alina's heart pounded. She wasn't alone.
Slowly, she backed away from the stream, scanning the darkness. A shadow shifted between the trees. Then another.
More than one.
She turned sharply, ready to flee—but a voice cut through the night.
"You shouldn't have run."
Alina froze.
The robed man stepped into the moonlight, his silver emblem gleaming against the dark fabric of his cloak.
Behind him, two more figures emerged. Silent. Watchful.
Trapped.
Alina's pulse raced. There was no Kael to protect her this time.
And no easy escape.
-