“Ugh!” I waved my hand dismissively. “I’m just a temporary substitute as the madam of the leader. They never really took me seriously, or else they wouldn’t have abandoned me like that. If I truly marry him, I have no idea how much suffering I’ll have to endure. But today, you saved me and gave me a chance to survive. I wouldn’t know how to escape from that wolf’s den otherwise!”
Goyi’s eyes suddenly flashed with an unusual gleam, which disappeared almost immediately. She looked both happy and expectant, and she said a bit excitedly, “Since that’s the case, let’s get as far away as possible! The further we run, the better!”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I said, smiling.
The two of us quickly came to an agreement and urged our horses deeper into the forest, escaping as fast as we could. The night was dark and windy, and the path through the forest was narrow, winding, and eerie. It was so silent that it was terrifying—there wasn’t a single insect chirping or bird calling, only the soft rustling of our movements through the grass.
After running aimlessly through the forest for over an hour, my initially high spirits quickly wore off. My energy was drained, and I slowed down, gradually falling behind Goyi by quite a distance.
“I can’t do it, I can’t!” I collapsed to the ground, panting heavily as I rubbed my legs. “I’m exhausted. I haven’t eaten since yesterday afternoon, and I’m running a fever. I just can’t keep up anymore.”
Goyi stopped and looked at me. “We can’t stop. The werewolves’ noses are sharp, and they’ll catch up with us soon.”
“But I really can’t go any further. You should run ahead. Don’t worry about me. If any werewolves catch up, I’ll just hide somewhere.”
Goyi hesitated for a moment, but then she came back and said urgently, “How can I leave you behind and run away on my own?”
I chuckled lightly. “Sister, with that delicate frame of yours, I never imagined you’d be able to run this much.”
Goyi pulled my hand. “Madam, just a little longer.”
“I really can’t. Let me rest for a bit and catch my breath.” I waved my hand, then looked around. “By the way, where are we even running to? This forest feels so strange. It’s so quiet, there’s not a sound anywhere.”
Goyi looked at me with an odd expression. “Madam, are you having second thoughts?”
“Second thoughts? About what?”
“Are you regretting running away with me?”
I paused. Oh, this little maid was sensitive after all!
“Of course, I’m not regretting it. I’m just tired. I don’t know why, but my calf is really hurting, though I don’t have any injuries,” I said, perplexed as I rolled up my pants to inspect the area.
Goyi didn’t seem to care, her eyes alert and watching the surroundings with a wary expression. I suddenly felt that she had become a bit overly sensitive. The forest was so quiet that I could hear even the faintest sound, and if anyone were coming, they’d be heard from quite a distance. There was no need for her to be so nervous. But then I remembered that Goyi must have been tormented under the werewolves’ rule for so long that her nerves had been frayed, making her more jumpy and suspicious. I felt a pang of sympathy.
“Goyi, I wanted to say…” I opened my mouth, about to try and comfort the maid.
But before I could say anything, Goyi did something completely unexpected—she bent down and lightly kissed my lips, a fleeting touch like the brush of a dragonfly’s wing. I didn’t even have time to react.
My eyes widened in shock, and my body jerked back instinctively.
“Goyi, what are you doing?! Are you a lesbian?!”
OMG! So there were lesbians in the werewolf world too! I was completely stunned, almost wishing I could bleed three liters on the spot!
Before Goyi could answer, a furious voice suddenly shouted, “What do you mean, ‘lesbian’?!”
The voice was so familiar that I froze, shivering all over. It was a voice I had heard often in the last few days, and every time I heard it, it felt like I was about to face certain doom.