Raine cried as she ran out of the hall. Her chest hurt, but she didn't stop.
The auction had taken place in Ashgard — a place so big it felt like its own town. The worst part? You couldn't enter or leave without permission from a high-ranking guard.
Her heels clicked loudly against the pavement. She cursed the shoes for the hundredth time. She thought about removing them, but untying them would waste time — and she didn't have much.
She could hardly breathe. The air was too thick, and everything was so dark. Her asthma was getting worse. She had to stop. She hid in a corner, pressing her back against the wall and trying to catch her breath.
By the grace of the Moon Goddess, she had escaped from her master. But that didn't mean she was free. No, it was worse now.
She was a slave on the run.
Footsteps echoed behind her. She held herself tightly and stayed as still as possible. It was safer to stay hidden than run through Ashgard — especially when there seemed to be no way out.
"Give it up, little princess!" a man's voice shouted from nearby.
"You're not escaping. If it was easy to leave Ashgard, people would've been stealing things left and right. No one leaves unless Lord Anthony himself allows it — or one of his top guards."
His voice was full of anger, and it made Raine's body shake. She curled up tighter, like a leaf in the cold, as the footsteps came closer.
She pressed herself harder against the cold wall, her breathing shallow and quick. The footsteps were right next to her now. For the first time in a long while, she prayed.
Please. I just want to survive.
She clenched her hands into fists, forcing herself not to move.
Then — a bright light flashed in her face.
Raine gasped and turned her head quickly, blinded by the flashlight. Her heart stopped for a second.
Was this the end? Had she been caught?
But the man didn't shout for help. Instead, he turned his head and yelled, "She ran toward the garden! Hurry!"
The men chasing her ran off in the wrong direction, and her hiding spot was safe again.
Raine stared in confusion.
Why did he help me?
The flashlight turned off. Darkness returned. Then a hand grabbed her wrist. It was strong, but not rough.
"Be quiet. Move when I say," the man whispered.
Raine nodded slowly. She didn't know if she had just been saved — or if this was a new kind of danger.
Her chest felt tight. Her asthma made it hard to breathe. She didn't have the strength to talk, but she had to say something. So, with a shaking finger, she began to write in the air.
S…A…V…E… M…E.
Her eyes pleaded with him. Please understand me.
For some reason, she couldn't use mind-link. Maybe it was blocked. Maybe she was too weak.
The man stared at her for a second. Then something changed in his face.
He looked softer.
"You look so much like your mother," he said quietly. "Listen, sometimes bad things happen to good people. Life is unfair. That's just how it is. But I promised your mother I'd protect you… even if it means I'll die for it."
Tears rolled down Raine's cheeks.
He sighed and pulled a small cloth from his pocket, handing it to her.
"If you want to survive, never show people your weakness," he said. "And I bet you're wondering why I didn't turn you in."
She nodded.
"My mother asked me to help you. And also… I once had a sister. She was like you. I didn't help her when she needed me. She died. Maybe this is my chance to make things right."
Raine's heart ached for him.
"You don't have much time," he continued. "There's a tunnel down this path. It leads to a rogue pack. Show this stone to the first person who stops you and ask for Matteo. He'll help you."
He handed her a small blue stone. She grabbed it with shaky hands.
"No matter what happens, Raine… survive."
Raine's eyes widened. He knew her name.
She waited until he was gone. Then, quietly, she crawled into the woods, moving toward the tunnel he told her about.
Leaves brushed her arms, and twigs cracked under her feet. But she was alive — and free, for now.
In the distance, she could still hear the voices of her father's men. But they were fading. That gave her hope.
She walked faster.
The trees were thick, and the path twisted like a snake. She held her chest, trying to calm her breathing.
Then, ahead of her, she saw it — a tunnel.
It looked like the open mouth of a monster.
She took a deep breath and walked closer, her eyes scanning for danger.
Then — a growl came from within and she froze.
Two glowing eyes appeared in the darkness. Her legs stepped back on their own.
A voice spoke, deep and serious. "It's dangerous to walk here alone."
She wanted to run, but her body wouldn't move.
A man stepped out of the shadows.
"Are you lost?" he asked her through mind-link, his voice calm but curious.
"Not lost," Raine answered, her voice shaking. "I'm looking for Matteo. A rogue pack. I need help."
He tilted his head. "Matteo? He doesn't help just anyone. What do you have for him?"
Raine quickly pulled the blue stone from her pocket. "This. Someone gave it to me. He told me to give it to you."
The man looked at the stone, not saying anything for a while.
"I didn't steal it, I swear," she added. "I just want to be safe."
He stepped closer and took the stone from her.
"Hmm," he said, inspecting it. "And why should I help you? You look scared. Weak. I can't even scent you. Are you a spy?"
"No! I can't be scented because of a disability," she said. "I didn't choose this life. I just want to escape. I'm not going to be a pawn in their games. Please…"
Suddenly, he moved.
His hand struck the spot under her ear, . Her eyes rolled back, and she fell unconscious into his arms.
"Tch. Girls like you cry too easily. What a nuisance," he muttered, picking her up and throwing her gently over his shoulder.