[Lior's POV—Skeldryn Forest—Midnight—Continuation]
The forest was silent again; only the sound of snow crunching beneath his boots broke the stillness as he walked through the dark trees, carrying me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing. My head throbbed with every step he took. The world swayed upside down, the cold air burning my lungs as I tried weakly to struggle.
Not strongly anymore.
I didn't have the strength left for that; his arm tightened around my legs without a word, his grip firm enough to remind me that every movement I made was pointless.
I clenched my teeth, pushing against his back anyway.
"Put… me down…" My voice came out hoarse.
He didn't answer, didn't even slow down. As if I hadn't spoken at all.
The trees parted ahead, and his horse stood waiting where the knights had left it, dark against the snow. He walked straight to it, not wasting a second, and with one rough motion he lifted me off his shoulder.
The moment my injured foot brushed the ground—
