The forest clearing was deathly silent after the whistle.
Snowflakes drifted lazily in the air, betraying nothing of the hunters closing in.
Arya's heart hammered in her chest. She could feel Mira trembling against her side, clutching her arm like a lifeline. Ivy stood a few feet ahead, his weapon raised, his sharp eyes scanning the shadows between the trees.
"They've surrounded us," Ivy murmured, his tone flat, controlled. "That signal wasn't a warning it was a net tightening."
Arya swallowed hard. Her body wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go. Snow stretched on all sides, broken only by trees and the charred ruins of the village behind them.
"What do we do?" Arya whispered.
Ivy didn't answer right away. He crouched, brushing snow from the ground until the faint outline of a tire track emerged. His jaw clenched. "They brought vehicles. Which means they're not planning to stay long. Quick raid, fast exit." He straightened, turning to Arya. "If we can reach one, we have a chance."
Arya's eyes widened. "You mean steal one? From mercenaries armed to the teeth?"
His gaze locked onto hers, unflinching. "Do you want to freeze to death here, or gamble on the only way out?"
Her breath caught. She hated that he was right.
Mira's voice cracked between them. "We'll never make it. They'll kill us before we even reach the road."
Ivy ignored her fear. He moved closer to Arya, lowering his voice. "Listen to me. They'll herd us into the open first. Panic makes prey predictable. But if we don't give them what they expect…" His lips curved into the faintest shadow of a smile. "We flip the game."
Arya didn't know whether to be terrified or exhilarated. There was a steadiness about him like the eye of a storm. Against every instinct, she trusted it.
"Alright," she whispered. "Tell me what to do."
The trap snapped shut minutes later.
Shadows emerged between the trees dark figures with rifles, spreading in a slow, deliberate arc. Arya counted at least six, maybe more. Their boots crunched heavily in the snow, confident, unhurried. They thought the hunt was over.
"Don't move!" a voice barked.
Arya's stomach flipped. The mercenaries weren't wearing uniforms, but their coordination was sharp, their weapons sleek. These weren't common raiders. These were professionals.
"Drop the weapon!" one ordered Ivy.
For a heartbeat, Arya thought Ivy would fight. Instead, he raised his hands slowly, letting the rifle dangle from one finger before tossing it into the snow. The mercenaries chuckled darkly, lowering their guard a fraction.
That was when everything shifted.
Ivy moved with terrifying speed diving forward, scooping a handful of snow and ice into the nearest mercenary's eyes. The man screamed, clutching his face. Chaos erupted. Gunfire split the silence, bullets sparking against frozen trunks.
"Run!" Ivy roared.
Arya didn't hesitate. Grabbing Mira's hand, she dragged her through the chaos, lungs burning, heart pounding. Ivy was already ahead of them, weaving through the trees with lethal precision.
Behind them, curses and shouts rose. "Stop them! Don't let them reach the road!"
Arya's boots slipped in the snow, but adrenaline kept her moving. Through the trees she glimpsed it metal glinting in the pale light. A vehicle. Sleek. Black. A Mercedes G-Wagon, its engine still idling faintly, exhaust curling into the cold air.
Hope surged in her chest like fire.
But two mercenaries were already guarding it.
Ivy spotted them too. He motioned for Arya and Mira to stay back, then melted into the shadows, circling wide. Arya's breath caught as she watched. He moved like a predator silent, calculated.
One guard shifted, stamping his feet against the cold. The other lit a cigarette, exhaling smoke into the freezing air.
A whistle of wind and Ivy was behind them.
The first man fell with a strangled gasp, Ivy's arm locked around his throat. The second turned, fumbling for his rifle, but Arya burst from the trees with a desperate cry, slamming into him with all her weight. They crashed into the snow, his weapon skittering away. He snarled, grabbing her hair, but Ivy's boot came down hard, knocking him out cold.
Arya scrambled to her feet, gasping, her hands shaking. She hadn't meant to attack hadn't even thought. But the surge of survival had carried her forward.
Ivy glanced at her, eyes burning. For the first time, his mask cracked into something like admiration. "Good."
No time for more. He hauled the unconscious bodies aside, then yanked open the driver's door. "Get in."
Arya shoved Mira into the back seat and scrambled into the passenger side. The leather was freezing against her skin, the dashboard glowing faintly.
Ivy slid behind the wheel, his hands steady. The engine roared to life under his command.
Gunfire exploded behind them mercenaries breaking from the trees, shouting furiously. Bullets thudded against the metal, shattering glass. Arya ducked, her scream caught in her throat.
Ivy slammed the gearshift. "Hold on!"
The Mercedes lunged forward, tires spitting snow. The forest blurred past, white and black streaks flashing by. Arya clutched the seat, adrenaline and fear tangling in her veins.
One mercenary leapt into the road ahead, rifle raised. Ivy didn't slow. The man dove aside at the last second as the car thundered past.
"Are we… are we clear?" Arya gasped.
"Not yet," Ivy said grimly, eyes locked on the winding path ahead. "But we will be."
Hours later, the trees thinned. The road widened. And then lights.
Arya's breath caught as the horizon bloomed with color. Neon flickers. Streetlamps glowing through mist. The jagged outline of buildings rising against the sky.
The city.
For the first time since the massacre, hope felt real. Tangible. Alive.
Beside her, Ivy kept his eyes on the road, his jaw set. But Arya saw it the faintest crack of relief in his expression.
Mira stirred in the back, half-conscious, whispering something Arya couldn't hear.
Arya turned, heart pounding with exhaustion and triumph. They weren't safe yet not by a long shot. But they had escaped the forest. They had stolen freedom right out from under the mercenaries' noses.
And as the city's lights drew closer, Arya realized something else: she wasn't afraid anymore. Not with Ivy beside her.
Whatever came next they would face it together.