Jess’s breath came in short gasps as she sprinted through the dim corridors of the palace. Her boots barely made a sound against the marble floor, but the pounding of her heartbeat was deafening. The flickering lights from the torches lining the walls cast eerie rows of shadows, stretching and distorting as she ran past.
Behind her, the sound of Gabriel’s footsteps echoed in her ears, heavy and slow for some reason. He was following her, but it felt like he was working towards her instead of chasing.
Panic held her by the throat. She dares to look back to find out why. If she hesitated for even the slightest second, she knew that he’d catch up to her. Her muscles burned, her legs aching from the sudden burst of adrenaline in her body, but she continued to push forward, her focus fixed o
