Sasha
The forest floor was unforgiving beneath my bare feet as I ran, each step sending jolts of pain through my battered body. The adrenaline that had fueled my escape was beginning to wane, replaced by a bone-deep exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm me.
'Keep moving,' Vega urged, her voice a constant presence in my mind. 'We can't let them catch us.'
I pushed on, my lungs burning as I gasped for air. The sounds of pursuit were growing fainter, but I knew better than to let my guard down. Mason's men were skilled trackers, and I was leaving a trail even a novice could follow.
"I know," I panted, ducking under a low-hanging branch. "But I can't keep this pace up much longer."
As if to punctuate my words, my foot caught on an exposed root, sending me sprawling to the ground. I bit
