Alden
My heart pounds in my chest, a relentless drumbeat that threatens to give away our position. I can feel Layla's fear, her tension, as she presses against me, her body trembling. But we stay still, our breaths shallow and controlled, as the voices pass by, a mere few feet from where we're hiding. And then, just as suddenly as they appeared, they're gone. The voices fade into the distance, leaving behind an eerie silence that's almost worse than the fear.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, my body sagging against the tree. "That was too close," I whisper, my voice hoarse with relief.
Layla nods, her eyes closed as she tries to regain her composure. "Too close," she agrees, her voice barely audible.
We stay hidden for a few more minutes, just to be safe, before finally emerging from our hiding place. The cove is quiet, the only sound is the gentle lapping of the water against the shore. But the silence is deceptive, a reprieve in a world filled with danger.
I take Layla's hand, my fingers lacing through hers, and squeeze it. "We're okay," I say, more to reassure myself than her. "For now."
She manages a small smile, her eyes meeting mine. "For now," she echoes, her voice soft and grateful.
We push the canoe back into the water, the murky liquid swallowing it whole once again. I take the paddle, my hands gripping it tightly as I push us away from the cove. The channel twists and turns, leading us deeper into the heart of the bayou, but I don't care. All I care about is putting distance between us and the Council's trackers.
As we paddle, the silence between us is comfortable, a shared understanding that words aren't necessary. We've been through so much together, faced dangers that would break lesser people, and yet here we are, still standing, fighting.
But the bayou is relentless, and it doesn't allow us to rest for long. As the hours tick by, the sky grows darker, the stars appearing one by one like distant sentinels. And with the darkness comes a new threat, one that sends a shiver down my spine.
The Syndicate. Kai, their leader, is a dark dragon. He feeds on fear and shadows. I should have killed him long ago, but I ran to protect a friend. A friend who betrayed me, but then redeemed herself…Mara. I will miss you, you fucking hag.
I can feel their dark presence, like a shadow lurking at the edge of my vision. They're out there, waiting for their chance to strike. And this time, I'm not sure we'll be able to outrun them.
Layla must sense my tension because she turns to me, her eyes searching mine. "What is it?" she asks, her voice low and concerned.
I hesitate, debating whether to voice my fears, but in the end, I can't keep it to myself. "The Syndicate," I say, my voice barely audible over the sound of the paddle dipping into the water. "I can feel them. They're close."
Her eyes widen, her expression mirroring my fear. "Shit," she whispers. "What do we do?"
I shake my head, my mind racing as I try to come up with a plan. "I don't know. But we can't keep paddling forever. We need to find a place to hide, to rest. And then… We'll figure it out."
She nods, her jaw set in determination. "We'll figure it out," she agrees, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes.
We paddle on, the channel twisting and turning, leading us deeper into the heart of the bayou. The air grows thicker, heavier, as if the very atmosphere is conspiring against us. But we keep going, our determination fueling our exhausted bodies.
And then, just when I think we can't go on any longer, we see it. A small, secluded cove, hidden away from prying eyes. It's not much, just a tiny patch of land surrounded by trees and thick foliage, but it's our only chance.