She did not know if Rohan, or anyone else, had realized she was missing yet, but deep down, she knew that relying on someone to find her in time was a dangerous gamble. Waiting would only mean getting caught again, and that was something she could not afford when she feared being sold.
Unfortunately for her, her body had not recovered. It was far too weak, and the drugs still clung to her system like a heavy fog that sleep hadn't been enough to clear. Her vision swam in dizzy circles, and before she could steady herself, her knees buckled beneath her and she crashed face-first into a shallow puddle of cold, sticky mud.
A cry escaped Belle's lips, low and pained, but she couldn't dwell on it. The sound of fast-approaching footsteps snapped her out of her daze, and she forced herself to twist around on the ground, blinking through the blur to see the cloaked person closing in, just a few feet away.
