THE PRICE OF SURVIVAL

Cassian never ran.

But as the assassins closed in, as the smoke thickened around us, I saw something in his expression I had never seen before.

Acceptance.

Not of defeat. Not of death.

Of the only choice we had left.

He grabbed my wrist, his grip firm, unrelenting. “Stay with me.”

Then, he moved.

I didn’t hesitate. I followed, sprinting after him as we plunged into the depths of the Deadwood.

The forest was a blur around us—twisting trees, shadows shifting, the ground uneven beneath our feet.

The assassins were right behind us.

I could hear them—footsteps pounding, weapons unsheathing, the sharp whistle of an arrow cutting through the air.

Cassian yanked me sideways just as the arrow slammed into the tree where I had been a second ago.

I gasped, my breath ragged, my heart pounding so hard it hurt.

“They’re gaining,” I managed between gasps.

Cassian’s grip on me tightened. “Not for long.”

Then, suddenly.

He stopped.

I nearly slammed into his back, stumbling as he pulled me against him.

“Cassian.”

“Hold on.”

Before I could ask to what, his arms wrapped around me, and in one swift, powerful motion, he jumped.

The world tilted.

My stomach dropped as we soared upward, Cassian using his strength to launch us into the trees.

Branches snapped beneath his boots, but he didn’t stop—climbing, using the thick limbs to propel us higher.

I held on, my arms wrapped around his shoulders, my breath catching as we moved with a speed and grace I hadn’t thought possible.

Below us, the assassins skidded to a halt, cursing as they lost sight of us.

Cassian didn’t stop until we were high enough to be hidden by the dense canopy.

Then, finally—he crouched on a thick branch, pressing me against the trunk of the tree.

My pulse raced, my lungs burned, but I wasn’t thinking about any of that.

I was thinking about him.

Cassian was so close.

His arms were still around me, his body solid and warm, his breath harsh against my temple.

The forest swayed beneath us, but we didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

Didn’t breathe.

Below, the assassins searched the ground, their voices sharp, frustrated.

“They disappeared.”

“They have to be close.”

“Spread out. Find them.”

Cassian’s grip on me tightened, just slightly. A silent command. Stay still.

I did.

Minutes passed. Then more.

Eventually, the voices faded, the assassins moving deeper into the woods, hunting for a trail that no longer existed.

Only then did Cassian finally exhale.

I didn’t realize how tense I had been until I relaxed against him, my forehead resting against his shoulder.

His heart was pounding.

Not from fear.

From adrenaline.

From something else.

I swallowed, my fingers still curled into the fabric of his shirt.

“You should’ve told me you could do that,” I whispered.

Cassian let out a breath of something close to a laugh. “You never asked.”

I tilted my head up, just slightly. Too close.

Cassian’s eyes burned into mine, his lips slightly parted, his body still pressed against me.

The pull was there again.

Stronger than ever.

And for once.

He wasn’t fighting it.

His fingers skimmed my side, barely a touch, but I felt it everywhere.

I sucked in a breath. “Cassian.”

A branch snapped below us.

Cassian’s head snapped to the side, his muscles tensing instantly.

The moment was gone.

Replaced by cold, sharp reality.

“We need to move,” he said quietly.

I nodded. But I couldn’t ignore the way my heart ached at the loss of his warmth.

We traveled until nightfall, making sure we had put enough distance between us and the assassins before stopping.

Cassian finally found a small, abandoned cave—not much, just a hollow space in a rocky cliffside. But it was safe.

I collapsed against the wall, exhausted.

Cassian paced, his movements restless.

“They won’t stop,” he muttered.

I watched him. “Then what do we do?”

Cassian ran a hand through his messy hair. “We make sure they can’t follow.”

I frowned. “How?”

He hesitated.

“We need to leave the Deadwood.”

My stomach dropped.

The Deadwood was dangerous, yes.

But it had also been a shield.

Leaving meant stepping into open territory—where the Council’s forces could find us easier.

Cassian knew it too.

But he also knew we had no choice.

I exhaled, staring at the cave ceiling. “Where do we go?”

Cassian sat down across from me, stretching his long legs out. “There’s someone who might help.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Who?”

His expression turned grim. “A traitor.”

I stiffened. “Cassian.”

“I don’t trust him,” he admitted. “But he has information we need.”

I swallowed hard. “So we’re walking into another trap.”

Cassian’s mouth quirked. “Most likely.”

I groaned. “You’re impossible.”

Cassian smirked, leaning back against the cave wall.

But his amusement faded quickly.

Because we both knew.

The real danger hadn’t even started yet.