The night stretched on in silence, the air heavy with the scent of damp earth and pine. Eden stood by the window, his hand gripping the edge of the sill, trying to steady himself. The quiet seemed to stretch on forever, but every sound—the snap of twigs, the rustle of leaves, the distant sound of horses—pulled at his nerves, fraying his resolve.
He had been standing there for what felt like hours, his mind racing, heart thudding in his chest. His senses were on high alert, as though the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. But nothing did.
The servant girl had been gone far too long, and Eden's fear had only grown. The longer she was away, the more certain he was that something had gone wrong. He couldn't just sit here. He couldn't wait passively in this wooden cage while the danger closed in.
He turned away from the window, his body stiff and aching. The walls seemed to press in on him, the air too still, too quiet. Every breath felt too loud, every sound too sharp. His fingers moved restlessly over the rough wooden surface of the walls, searching for anything to ground him.
The sound of footsteps reached his ears just then—soft but unmistakable. Eden froze, his heart stopping in his chest.
The girl?
No, this was different. These steps were heavier, more deliberate. They were the sound of someone walking with purpose.
He felt the panic rise within him, a suffocating wave that seemed to drown out everything else. His body tensed, his heart pounding as his senses strained to gather more information.
Then, there it was. The unmistakable sound of metal—armored boots, clinking chains, and the rasp of leather against fabric.
Darian's men.
Eden's breath hitched in his throat. He had been found. They had found him. His pulse raced, his body trembling with the weight of the realization.
With no time to think, no time to prepare, he rushed toward the back of the cabin, his bare feet slapping against the cold wooden floor. His fingers brushed against the walls as he stumbled forward, blindly seeking any means of escape.
The back door. He needed to reach the back door.
His breath was ragged, his heart pounding in his chest as he fumbled with the door handle. The cold metal felt foreign against his touch, and for a moment, panic threatened to overwhelm him. His hands shook, and he couldn't stop them. He could hear the footsteps getting closer, the sound of voices rising in the distance.
There was no time left.
With a forceful twist, the door finally gave way, swinging open with a groan of protest. Eden stumbled out into the night, the cool air hitting his face like a slap, the scent of the forest filling his senses. He didn't know where he was going—didn't know where he would end up—but he had to move. He had to get away.
His feet pounded against the earth, his bare skin brushing against the cool, damp ground as he ran blindly into the forest. His heart pounded in his chest, his mind a whirlwind of panic and fear. He could hear the sounds of pursuit behind him, the faint calls of the soldiers searching for him.
But he didn't dare look back. He couldn't. Every ounce of his focus was on moving forward, on finding any kind of escape. His limbs burned with the effort, his breath coming in sharp gasps as he pushed himself harder, faster.
His world was nothing but sound and feel—the crunch of leaves beneath his feet, the rough bark of trees against his skin as he brushed past them, the cold wind whipping against his face. His blindness didn't slow him down; it made him more attuned to the world in a way that felt both alien and comforting at the same time.
Still, there was a gnawing fear that followed him—a certainty that no matter how far he ran, no matter how fast he fled, Darian's men would be on his heels.
And if they found him, they wouldn't show mercy. They couldn't. Not when he had run from the Prince.
The sound of hooves grew louder. Closer.
Eden's mind raced, his pulse thundering in his ears. There had to be a way to lose them. A way to escape. He couldn't let Darian's men find him—he couldn't go back.
Suddenly, a sharp voice cut through the trees, close enough that Eden could feel the heat of it.
"Where is he?" A man barked, his tone filled with frustration. "He can't have gone far. Spread out."
Eden's heart skipped a beat. He had to move faster. He couldn't stop now. Not when they were so close.
His foot caught on a root, and he fell, sprawling onto the ground with a sharp gasp. Pain shot up his legs, but he ignored it. He had to keep going.
Rolling onto his back, he pushed himself up, but the sudden shift sent a wave of dizziness through his head. For a moment, his world spun, the forest around him blurring as his mind struggled to focus.
His breath came out in ragged gasps, his hands trembling as they moved instinctively through the darkness, searching for the path he had just left.
And then, as his vision swirled with darkness, he heard something—a sound he hadn't expected.
The soft, reassuring voice of the servant girl.
"Eden?"
He turned toward the sound of her voice, his heart leaping with hope and fear all at once. She had returned. But had she seen him? Could she help him escape?
His breath was shallow, and he could barely hear the rest of her words over the pounding of his heart. "Eden, they're close... we have to—"
And then, before she could finish, the sound of a horse's hooves cracked through the stillness of the forest. Close. Too close.
Eden's heart sank. He could hear the men now, their voices clear, their footsteps rapid as they closed in. He had no more time.
Gripping the servant girl's hand with what little strength he had left, Eden pulled her toward him, trying to shield himself from the rising panic that threatened to drown him.
"We need to run," he whispered, his voice cracking.
And with that, they were off again—into the dark, unknown heart of the forest, where the shadows were as much a threat as the men behind them.
But Eden wasn't afraid anymore. Not of the darkness. Not of the men. The only thing he feared now was the truth he hadn't yet dared to face.
He couldn't run forever.
And Darian would never stop coming for him.