Escape 2

Keir sat in his meditation room, eyes closed, trying to silence the endless noise in his mind. But something felt... off. A strange shift in the air.

His eyes snapped open.

He stood, his instincts screaming that something was wrong. Stepping outside, he barely took two steps before a guard came running toward him, breathless.

"She's trying to escape!" the guard shouted.

Keir's expression darkened.

"Nana."

Without another word, he vanished into thin air, heading straight for her.

Nana's heart pounded as she sprinted through the open gates, her breath coming in sharp gasps. The wind whipped against her face, her bare feet barely making a sound against the damp earth. She had no idea where she was going—only that she had to keep running. She couldn't stop. Not now.

The voices in her head had gone silent, but their last words still echoed.

"Run. Run now. This is your chance."

The village was behind her now, swallowed by the darkness of the trees. The forest loomed ahead, tall and endless. She had never been here before. Was it safe? Did it even matter? Anywhere was better than where she had been trapped.

Branches scratched at her skin as she pushed forward, her legs screaming in protest. She couldn't hear the guards behind her anymore. Maybe she was fast enough. Maybe they wouldn't find her—

Then, just as she was about to take another step, a figure appeared in front of her.

Keir.

He hadn't run. He hadn't chased. He had simply appeared, like a ghost in the night. His glowing red eyes locked onto her, burning with something she couldn't understand.

Nana's body locked up in sheer terror.

She skidded to a stop, her breath hitching. The sudden halt made her legs wobble, and she stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Keir took a slow step forward.

Nana took a step back.

"Where do you think you're going?" His voice was quiet, but it carried a weight that made the air feel thick.

She swallowed, searching for something to say, some excuse, some reason—

But her body moved before her mind could.

She turned and ran again.

She barely made it two steps before Keir was behind her. A strong arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her off the ground.

She screamed, kicking wildly. "Let me go!"

Keir ignored her. With ease, he lifted her as if she weighed nothing. She pounded her fists against his chest, but it was like hitting stone.

"I told you," he muttered, his voice laced with irritation. "You can't run from me."

She struggled harder, twisting and thrashing. "I hate you! Let me go!"

Keir exhaled through his nose like he was losing patience. He adjusted his grip, tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of rice.

"Stop acting like a fool," he said, turning back toward the village.

Nana let out an angry cry, beating her fists against his back. "You can't keep me here forever!"

Keir said nothing.

The further they walked, the more Nana felt her strength leaving her. Her vision blurred with frustration. She had been so close.

The moment they reached the gates, she whispered, more to herself than to him.

"I will escape. One day."

Keir finally responded.

"We'll see."

Nana hit the ground hard as Keir dropped her in front of his grand hall. The impact sent a jolt through her bones, but she barely had time to react before she noticed the guards standing in formation, heads bowed low in shame. The air around them was thick with tension, heavy and suffocating.

Keir's burning gaze swept over them, his displeasure radiating like heat. He took slow, measured steps forward, his aura pressing down on everyone around him. The silence stretched, cold and unbearable, before he finally spoke.

"You fools." His voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. "A child managed to slip past all of you."

None of the guards dared to look up. Nana watched as their shoulders tensed, their hands clenched into fists at their sides.

Keir's rage was unlike anything she had seen before. It wasn't loud or explosive. It was controlled, like a storm waiting to break.

"Tell me," Keir continued, his voice dropping to something more dangerous, "what use are you if you can't even guard one girl?"

No one answered. No one moved.

Keir scoffed in disgust. Then, his sharp red eyes flicked past the guards, locking onto one person.

Lucian.

The young guard was still clutching his chest, pain flickering across his face from where Nana had struck him earlier. He stood slightly apart from the others, his expression blank, but Nana could see it—the way his jaw was tight, the way his fingers trembled just slightly.

Keir strode toward him.

"And you," Keir muttered, his voice low with anger. "Assigned to watch her. Assigned to train her. And yet, you let her run."

Lucian straightened, keeping his posture firm despite the obvious pain in his body. "I take full responsibility, my lord."

Keir laughed, short and humorless. "Full responsibility?" His eyes darkened. "Then take your punishment."

Nana's stomach twisted with unease. Something about the way Keir said it sent a shiver down her spine.

Keir turned to the other guards. "Take him to the dark dungeon."

Several of them flinched, their eyes widening in horror, but they obeyed immediately, stepping toward Lucian.

Nana's breath caught in her throat. "Wait—"

Keir continued, ignoring her. "Seven days. No food. No water. Only chains."

Lucian didn't move. He didn't protest, didn't beg, didn't even react. He simply stared straight ahead, his face emotionless. But Nana saw it—the flicker of pain in his eyes before he masked it away.

"No." Nana suddenly stepped forward. "No, no, no! It wasn't his fault—it was mine! I was the one who ran!"

Keir didn't even spare her a glance.

Nana turned desperately to Lucian, searching his face. He still didn't look at her.

"Please," she begged, looking back at Keir. "I'll do anything! Just don't do this to him!"

Keir remained indifferent. "You're in no position to make demands."

Nana clenched her fists. She felt so helpless, so useless.

The guards reached for Lucian's arms. He let them take him.

"No!" Nana tried to grab him, to stop them, but she was shoved back.

She hit the ground again, her breath stolen from her lungs.

Lucian finally looked at her then. Just for a moment.

She saw something in his gaze—something that made her chest ache.

Regret.

And then, he was gone, dragged away into the darkness.