SELENE
Selene kept running.
Deeper.
Farther.
Until the sounds behind her finally disappeared.
But she didn't stop immediately.
She knew trained rogues could track scent.
So she deliberately crossed a shallow stream, walked through muddy terrain, and climbed across fallen trees to confuse her trail.
Only when she was certain the sounds had completely vanished did she finally slow down.
Her breathing was heavy.
Her legs trembled slightly beneath her.
But her eyes remained sharp.
She had escaped.
For now.
The forest stretched endlessly around her.
Tall trees rose like silent pillars into the darkness, their branches intertwining overhead and blocking most of the moonlight.
The air was cold.
Damp.
Still.
Every distant rustle sounded louder than it should.
Every c***k of a b
