Page 29 of What Lies Within Masks & Shadows

Instead of allowing her nerves to consume her, Alora simply drew in a determined breath.

She had prepared too long to escape the claws of Kaine to let her nulled powers be the breaking point. Powers or none, she would escape. She would finally befree.

So Alora waited. Continued for some time. Passing lush meadows swaying in the breeze, small groupings of trees that yielded little cover, and trickling streams that were only useful for watering horses.

Then, there it was.

Ahead, on the side of the road, a forest nestled atop an upcoming hill. Illuminated in the moonlight as far as she could see. Forests had always been her solace. She felt natural in them. Accepted and safe. She knew how to run over the covered forest floor without stumbling, which trees were best for climbing, and was somewhat skilled at concealing her tracks. If there was ever a better place to escape, this was it.

She shifted unnoticeably in the saddle. Hopefully, her rescuer—captor—whatever he was, wouldn’t perceive her intentions.

Within the cover of the cloak and darkness, she cautiously readied her hand.

She was ready.

Ready to escape whatever this was.

Her thighs loosened on the saddle once more, slower, more calculated this time to conceal her intent.

Alora adjusted her balance enough that when the moment provided, she would easily slip from the horse and run toward the tree line. Her last hope relied on this specific moment; a moment only a few breaths away.

Any hesitation would render her plan useless, perhaps even get her killed.

It was worth the risk.

She wouldnotbe someone’s prisoner again. Never again.

Her rider drew in a hardened, deep breath before Alora grabbed her fist and shoved an elbow into his solid torso.

With a menacing growl, his arms loosened his hold, his body barely falling off balance from the impact. She slid from the saddle, boots slamming into the dirt.

There was no time to adjust her balance. If she had any hope of escape, she had to keep running. And couldn’t stop for anything.

Through the grass and to the tree line, she ran until the darkness swallowed her whole.

Something was wrong.

No shouts of pursuit.

Not one footstep crackled the dried leaves and sticks on the forest floor.

With every step deep into the forest, nothing came for her. Despite the absence of pursuit, she had only paused for a moment to pull her dagger from her boot, and swerved through heavy-trunked trees, jumping over any barrier in her path. It didn’t matter if they were three feet behind or three miles. She wouldn’t give them an advantage of her resting. Any prey should know that. And she wasn’t foolish enough to believe that this was over.

Something moved ahead—a shadow within the trees.

No. Not a shadow.

Alora’s breath stopped along with her feet.

There, leaning against a significant ash tree, a few feet in front of her, smoke and shadow danced around Death himselfas he cleaned a nail with the tip of a knife. By the laziness of his posture, he’d been waiting for quite some time.

Her lungs refused to cooperate.

Panic-filled bones refused to move.

How could she have been so foolish? How could she think she could outrun Death?

Alora desperately scanned the darkened forest. There had to besomewhereshe could go, somewhere she could hide. Anywhere. There had to be. She hadn’t endured the last twenty-six years of her life with Kaine, only to meet an end in this forest.

---