Chapter 12

Ysabel gasped for breath, each inhale shallow and ragged. Time blurred; she had no sense of how long they'd been fleeing through the dense, oppressive woods. Twisted, gnarled branches clawed at them. The air hung heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, a cloying perfume that did little to mask the metallic tang of blood – Ysabel's own, she realized, as she felt a trickle warm against her leg. Her legs ached, her feet raw from the relentless assault of roots and sharp stones that snagged at her already torn clothes.

Jerod's firm grip on her hand prevented her from a fall, a fall that would surely have resulted in further injury. The undergrowth, a tangled mass of thorns and brambles, tore at their clothes, leaving scratches and snags in their wake.

The woods, once a familiar refuge, now felt like a suffocating labyrinth, each shadow a potential threat.

"Forgive me, but we can't rest, Ysabel," Jerod rasped, his voice strained and heavy with exertion. His knees threatened to buckle with each step, his gait faltering, yet he persevered, a desperation for their escape. The darkness of the woods seemed to press in on them, amplifying the sounds of their own ragged breathing and the frantic thump of their hearts. They had to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the soldiers of Sydren that they couldn't understand as to why they wanted them dead.

How did they see them so fast? But then again, Filoa forest is part of Sydren, and they are soldiers trained for things like this.

"Argh!"

Jerod's agonizing scream of pain ripped through the forest.

Ysabel felt like her heart stopped beating when Jerod's grip on her hand loosened and he crumpled to the forest floor.

"Jerod?" she shrieked, snapping out of her shock and scrambling to his side. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Her eyes darted frantically, searching for the source of his agony.

"N-no.."

A sob caught in her throat as she saw the dagger protruding from his back. Her trembling hands reached for it, then recoiled as Jerod shuddered in pain.

The sounds of approaching soldiers—the snap of branches, the thunder of hooves, and the cruel, echoing laughter of Commander Tahl echoed through the darkness.

"Come out, you pathetic rodents! Playtime is over!" His voice boomed through the trees.

Ysabel felt Jerod's body stiffen, his icy hand clutching hers. Blood welled from his lips as he gasped, "I-I'll lure them…"

"N-no,"

Ysabel whimpered. Her voice is barely audible.

"L-listen-"

Jerod's limp arms, heavy with blood and exhaustion, encircled Ysabel's hands, her fingers numb with cold and fear. He pressed Commander Tahl's dagger into her palm, his touch weak but insistent.

"I'll only get in the way," He rasped, his voice barely a whisper.

"Let me save you, just this once, Ysabel."

" But you have saved me! We'll escape together, Jerod! We'll reunite with Elana and Simon—please, don't do this!"

Ysabel's voice cracked with a sob. Tears blurred her vision as she pleaded,

A weak smile touched his lips. "You're a wonderful woman, Ysabel. Heavens,-"

His head droop, voice filled with regret.

" I wish I had more time… to see your face…" His breath hitched, a desperate gasp for air. "The blade… it's too deep…"

The sound of approaching soldiers cut him short. He shook his head, summoning a strength he clearly didn't possess and staggered to his feet.

"There's no time, Ysabel,"

Jerod said, his voice strained but firm.

"You have to run. Never look back." With a final, desperate shove, his weak hands propelled her forward into the shadows.