Page 3 of Surrendered to Mate

I've barely felt anything in so long.

Shaking my head, I enter my quarters and begin gathering what I'll need for the mission. As I pack, I can't help but feel a sense of anticipation. This assignment to Liiandor, as dangerous as it might be, offers something I've been craving: solitude.

Away from the suffocating tunnels of our underground home. Away from the watchful eyes of the Council. Away from Darana's obsessive gaze. Just me, my wits, and a job to do.

This mission won't be easy. It's been so long since I've been to the surface that I am at a disadvantage when it comes tomoving without detection. But maybe I'll stumble across a few dark elves…leave a message.

For the first time in decades, I feel a spark of... something. Not quite excitement, but close. A break in the monotony, a chance to prove my worth beyond being Darana's obsession or the Council's tool.

As I finish packing, I allow myself a small smile. Whatever challenges await me in Liiandor, they have to be better than the last few decades.

Little do I know how drastically my life is about to change.

2

FAYE

Imove through the forest like a shadow, each step calculated and silent. The scent of damp earth and rirzed herb fills my nostrils as I track my prey. A dae, its three-horned silhouette barely visible through the dense foliage.

My fingers brush the fletching of an arrow as I draw it from my quiver. The familiar weight settles against my bowstring, a comfort born from years of survival in these wilds. I've learned to hunt or be hunted, and I don't intend to go hungry tonight.

The dae pauses, its large eyes scanning the undergrowth. Its camouflaged coat blends seamlessly with the mottled greens and browns of the forest floor. But I've been tracking it for hours. I know its every twitch, every breath.

I draw back my bow, muscles taut with anticipation. The world narrows to a pinpoint - just me, my arrow, and my target. I can almost taste the meat already, imagining how I'll prepare it over my cave fire.

A twig snaps in the distance. The dae's head jerks up, nostrils flaring. I freeze, willing my heart to slow its frantic beating. One wrong move and my dinner will bolt.

"Easy," I breathe, the word barely a whisper on my lips. The dae's ear twitches, but it doesn't run. Not yet.

I adjust my aim, compensating for the slight breeze rustling through the leaves. The forest holds its breath with me as I prepare to release.

I hold my breath, waiting for the perfect moment to release my arrow. The forest is silent, save for the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. Suddenly, a ray of sunlight breaks through the canopy, glinting off the metal arrowhead. The flash of light hits my eyes, and I'm no longer in the forest.

I'm back there. The room is dark, lit only by flickering flames. My hands shake as I grip the blade, its weight unfamiliar and terrifying. The metal catches the firelight, and I see my own wide-eyed reflection staring back at me.

Smoke is starting to fill the room, and panic threatens to consume. I press myself against the wall, willing the shadows to swallow me whole. But I know there's no escape. Not this time. The blade trembles in my grip as his footsteps draw nearer.

The firelight dances across the room, casting grotesque shadows that seem to reach for me with grasping fingers. I bite my lip to keep from whimpering, tasting blood.

He rounds the corner, his massive frame filling the doorway. Our eyes lock, and I see the moment rage replaces his drunken haze. He lunges forward with a roar that shakes the very foundations of the house.

I don't think. I can't think. My body moves on its own, driven by years of fear and pain and desperation.

The memory overwhelms me, dragging me in deeper as it comes in bits and pieces. It shifts, and now I'm deeper in the house, the knife still clutched tightly in my grasp.

Smoke fills my lungs, acrid and thick. I can't breathe. Can't think. Screams echo through the burning house, and I realize they're my own.

The knife clatters to the floor as I stumble backward, crashing into a table. Pain shoots through my hip, but I barely notice. All I can focus on is the inferno raging around me, consuming everything in its path.

"Get out," I rasp, my voice raw from the smoke. "Get out, get out, get out!"

But which way is out? The flames dance before my eyes, twisting the familiar layout of the house into a nightmarish maze. I drop to my knees, crawling along the floor where the air is clearer. The heat is unbearable, searing my skin even through my clothes.

A beam crashes down behind me, showering me with embers. I yelp, batting at my hair as sparks threaten to ignite it. Panic claws at my throat, threatening to paralyze me. But I can't stop. I won't die here, not like this.

I force myself forward, inch by agonizing inch. My hands are raw and bleeding from the rough floor, but I barely feel it through the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Another scream tears from my throat as flames lick at my heels, spurring me on.

Somewhere in the chaos, I hear a deep, guttural roar. It sends a fresh wave of terror through me, giving me strength I didn't know I had. I surge forward, desperation lending speed to my movements.

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