His tiny feet caught on a tree root jutting out of the ground, tripping right after Etien had barely escaped the palace's portal room. The summer sun blazed through gaps in the towering trees, drenching his temples in sweat. His breath came in gasps, chest tight, and his little heart beat way too fast for a body that small.
Behind him, the guards' shouting grew louder. Branches snapped under the weight of their heavy boots as they charged after him. Etien glanced back, panicked, and forced himself to his feet even though his knees were scraped and his hands were coated with dry soil.
