Page 3 of The Demon's Secret Baby

"Feisty one, isn't she?" the buyer chuckles. "Might be fun to break her spirit."

"Fuck you," I spit, tasting blood in my mouth.

Before either can react, a blinding flash of light suddenly erupts in the marketplace, dazzling colors dancing across my vision. I blink rapidly, trying to clear the spots from my eyes. The dark elves holding my chains curse and stumble, momentarily disoriented.

Before I can process what's happening, I feel a presence at my side. Slim fingers work deftly at the locks on my shackles. There's a soft click, and the metal falls away from my wrists.

"This way," a woman's voice hisses in my ear. A hand grabs mine, tugging me forward.

My legs move on instinct, following the pull. We weave through the crowd, taking advantage of the chaos. My heart pounds in my chest, adrenaline surging through my veins. Is this real? Am I actually escaping?

We duck into a narrow alleyway, the sounds of the marketplace fading behind us. The woman releases my hand, and I lean against the cool stone wall, gulping in air.

I gasp for air, my lungs burning as the woman releases my hand. We're pressed against the cool stone of the alley, hidden in shadow.

"I'm June," she whispers, her bright green eyes darting to the alley's entrance.

"Zylpha," I answer. "Why did you?—?"

She shakes her head. "We need to move. Now."

Before I can respond, angry shouts echo from the marketplace. June grabs my wrist again, and we're off.

We burst out of the alley and into a narrow street. My bare feet slap against the cobblestones as we sprint, dodging startled pedestrians.

"This way!" June hisses, yanking me down another twisting alleyway.

My heart hammers in my chest. I can hear the pounding footsteps of our pursuers, getting closer with each passing second.

We emerge onto a wider street. Colorful laundry hangs overhead, flapping in the sea breeze. June ducks under a low-hanging sheet, pulling me with her. I stumble, nearly losing my footing.

"Keep up!" she urges.

A dark elf's enraged face appears at the end of the street. "There!" he bellows.

We veer sharply to the left, knocking over a cart of fruit. The vendor's angry cries fade as we plunge into the maze of back alleys.

Left, right, right again - I lose track of our path as June leads us through the twisting streets. The shouts behind us grow fainter, but I don't dare hope we've lost them.

We burst out onto a main thoroughfare. The salty tang of the sea fills my nostrils as I spot the docks ahead.

"Almost there," June pants.

A spell crackles past my ear, singeing my hair. I yelp, ducking instinctively.

"Faster!" June cries.

We weave through the crowd on the docks, dodging sailors and merchants. My lungs are on fire, legs trembling with exhaustion. But the alternative - being recaptured - spurs me on.

I watch as June leaps from the dock a little ahead of me, landing on a small and hidden ship that I realize must have had a cloaking enchantment since I hadn't seen it moments before.

I sprint toward the ship, my heart pounding in my ears. June's already on board, her nimble fingers working frantically at the knots holding us to the dock. The dark elves are closing in, their angry shouts growing louder with each passing second.

"Hurry!" June yells, her voice tight with panic.

I push my burning legs harder, willing them to carry me just a little further. The gap between the dock and the ship looms before me, a chasm that seems to widen with each step. I'm not going to make it. The thought flashes through my mind, cold and terrifying.

Just as I reach the edge of the dock, ready to leap, something strange happens. An invisible force slams into my back, propelling me forward with unnatural speed. I sail through the air, arms windmilling wildly. For a heart-stopping moment, I'm sure I'm going to plummet into the murky water below.

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