Page 63 of Favored By the Stars

We approached the archway Van had pointed out earlier, the stone threshold looming ahead like an invitation to safety. "There!" I shouted, gesturing toward it.

"Don't slow down!" Thorn barked as we neared the entrance. He kept pace beside me, his presence steadying even as we barreled toward potential danger.

A growl erupted behind us, echoing through the trees, a deep and menacing sound that sent chills racing down my spine. My pulse quickened, instinct screaming for us to flee faster.

Just as we reached the archway, I stumbled over a gnarled root hidden in the shadows. Thorn's hand shot out, grabbing my arm and pulling me upright. His grip was firm and unyielding.

As we crossed beneath the archway, I summoned a barrier of shimmering light that enveloped us just as darkness surged behind us. The growl morphed into a howl that reverberated through my bones; it sounded almost triumphant.

The barrier shimmered around us like fragile glass but held firm against the encroaching shadows clawing at our heels. The darkness met my light with furious resistance, an eerie dance between two powerful forces.

"We're almost there!" Thorn urged again as we dashed forward into an open expanse beyond the archway, our escape route lay clear ahead under an endless sky sprinkled with stars.

With renewed energy coursing through me and resolve igniting within my chest, I pushed forward alongside Thorn and Volker until finally we burst through into open air.

I felt the cool night air wrap around me as we burst through the archway, the oppressive shadows and thick magic laced air of Lumerin remaining behind us. The relief was short lived, though; a flicker of unease slithered down my spine. We had made it through one danger, only to step into another unknown.

"Stay sharp," Thorn murmured, scanning the horizon as if he sensed what lurked beyond the trees.

I nodded, but a pit formed in my stomach.

"Look!" Wyn's voice trembled beside me, her eyes wide with fear. She pointed toward the edge of the forest where shapes loomed among the trees, dark figures shifting in the moonlight. They moved with grace though, so they clearly weren't tainted with corruption.

Fae.

There was no other explanation, but how had they found us?

"Ambush! Move!" Thorn shouted, his voice ringing with urgency, just as I opened my mouth to say the same.

But it was too late. A flurry of arrows whistled through the air, slicing past us like angry wasps. I ducked instinctively, my heart racing as one arrow struck a nearby tree with a sickening thud.

"Run!" Volker yelled as he scooped Wyn up again, curling his body around hers protectively. I followed suit, adrenaline propelling me forward as I sprinted after them.

I glanced over my shoulder only to see that the shadows had erupted into movement as fae forces charged from their hiding places, fae cloaked in nothing but black, obscuring which court they were from, their eyes gleaming with fervor. Some of their hoods fell back as they chased after us and I realized I recognized some of them from our previous encounters. They were Fenvalur's guard, and I knew they would be relentless in their pursuit.

Thorn surged ahead of me, drawing his sword with a fierce determination that made my heart swell and sink at once. "Stay behind me!" he barked.

A surge of power ignited within me as I grasped the Starforged Mirror tighter against my side. I had faced darker things before; I could do this again. My magic pulsed to life in response to my rising panic.

Arrows rained down like a storm, and I threw up a barrier of light around us just as an arrow lodged itself into Thorn's shoulder.

"Thorn!" My heart dropped at the sight of blood blooming on his tunic, stark against his tawny skin.

"I'm fine," he grunted through clenched teeth, but there was no mistaking the strain in his voice. "Keep moving!"

Van rushed to support him on one side while I cast another barrier to shield us from incoming arrows. "We can't let them flank us," I urged, glancing back at Wyn and Volker, who kept pace behind us.

"We need to find higher ground!" Van shouted over the chaos, gesturing toward a nearby rise.

My heart hammered in my chest, a frantic drumbeat echoing the chaos around us as we raced toward the area Van had pointed to. Thorn staggered slightly under the weight of his wound, but determination radiated from him like sunlight piercing through storm clouds.

"Keep moving!" he barked again, urging us forward even as another arrow whizzed past his ear.

Van and I flanked him, our steps quickening as we reached the top of the incline. I glanced back, dread pooling in my stomach at the sight of Fenvalur's forces gaining ground. They moved with a feral grace, relentless in their pursuit.

"Senara!" Thorn shouted, breaking me from my thoughts. "Focus! We can't let them trap us!"

As we crested the hill, a sharp gasp escaped my lips. Below lay a sheer drop off, the cliffs plunging into a churning sea of darkness. The only way was forward, or to face Fenvalur and his guards closing in behind us.

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