**Chapter 3 — Run or Die**
Liora tripped over a tree root and almost fell. Cairis's strong hand on her wrist kept her upright, but his grip hurt.
"Watch your steps," he growled without looking back. "If you slow us down, I will carry you. You will not like how I do it."
"I'm trying," Liora said, breathing hard. Her legs felt weak from fear and the fast walking. "It's dark. I can't see well like you."
The forest was thick and black around them. Only faint moonlight came through the trees. Every shadow looked like it could hide a monster.
The heart shard in her chest kept pulsing. Each beat sent small waves of heat through her body. It made her feel strange and too aware of Cairis walking so close to her. She hated it.
Cairis stopped suddenly and pulled her behind a large tree. He pressed her back against the rough bark and covered her mouth with his other hand.
"Quiet," he whispered close to her ear. His voice was low and dangerous. "They are near."
Liora's eyes went wide. She could hear it now — the sound of horses and metal armor moving through the trees. The Radiant Knights.
A cold voice shouted in the distance. "The demonic signature is strong here! The witch must have summoned something. Find them both!"
Liora trembled under Cairis's hand. She tried to speak but it came out muffled.
He leaned down, his lips almost touching her ear. "If they catch us, they will burn me first. Then they will torture you for days to find out why you smell like demon. Do you understand?"
She nodded quickly, tears forming in her eyes.
Cairis slowly removed his hand from her mouth but kept her pinned against the tree with his body. He was so tall and broad that he blocked everything else. The heat from the binding made her skin tingle where they touched.
"I'm so scared," Liora whispered. "I have never done anything like this before. I just grow herbs and make small spells. Why did this have to happen to me?"
"Because you chose to steal from a demon prince," Cairis said coldly. "Actions have prices, little witch. This is yours."
Another howl echoed through the forest. This one sounded closer — a void wraith. The sound was high and hungry, like something that wanted to eat souls.
Cairis cursed under his breath. "The wraiths are following the blood trail I left. Your little ritual made everything worse."
Liora looked up at him, shaking. "What do we do? I don't know how to fight those things. Please tell me what to do."
For a moment, Cairis's eyes softened just a tiny bit, but his voice stayed hard. "Stay behind me. Use your shadow magic if you have any. And do not run away from me. If you try, the shard will pull you back — and it will hurt."
He let go of her and turned toward the sound of the knights. His claws grew longer, and dark shadows started to move around his body even though his power was weak.
"Stay close," he ordered.
They started moving again, faster this time. Liora stayed right behind him, her small bag bouncing against her side. Every few seconds the bond sent another rush of heat through her, mixing with her fear. It made her breath catch.
After a few minutes, Cairis stopped again. "They are circling us. We need to cross the river ahead. The water will hide our scent for a while."
Liora nodded but her voice came out shaky. "I… I can't swim well. If I fall in—"
"Then I will pull you out," he cut in. "But if you make noise and attract the knights, I may leave you there. Understand?"
"Yes," she whispered, scared. "I understand."
They reached the river. The water looked black and fast in the moonlight. Cairis stepped in first, the water coming up to his waist. He turned and held out his hand.
"Come."
Liora hesitated, fear making her freeze. "It looks deep."
Cairis's eyes flashed with anger. "Now, witch. Or do you want the knights to find you first?"
She took his hand. His grip was strong and warm. He pulled her into the cold water. She gasped as the river soaked her clothes. The current tried to pull her away, but Cairis kept her steady.
Halfway across, a loud howl sounded right behind them.
Liora looked back in terror. A void wraith — a twisting shadow with too many teeth and stolen human faces — was floating above the riverbank. Its empty eyes locked on them.
"It sees us!" she cried.
Cairis pushed her toward the other side. "Keep moving!"
He turned and raised his hand. Even with weakened power, dark shadows shot out from his fingers like whips. They hit the wraith and tore pieces of its smoky body. The creature screamed — a horrible sound that made Liora cover her ears.
But more howls answered. At least three more wraiths were coming.
Cairis grabbed Liora again and dragged her the rest of the way across the river. They climbed onto the muddy bank, both breathing hard.
"I can't keep fighting like this," Cairis said, voice rough. "The shard you stole is making my power slow to heal. You did this to me."
"I'm sorry," Liora said, tears running down her face now. "I was trying to help. I saw you die in my arms. I didn't want that to happen."
Cairis looked at her for a long second. His expression was still hard and scary. "Your good intentions mean nothing if we both die tonight."
He pulled her deeper into the trees on the other side. The sounds of knights and wraiths grew a little farther away, but they were not safe yet.
After walking for a while, Liora spoke in a small, scared voice. "Where are we going? Do you have a safe place?"
Cairis did not answer right away. "I had a hiding spot near the old ruins, but it may not be safe anymore. The binding will make it hard for us to stay apart for long. The farther we are, the more pain the shard will cause."
Liora hugged herself as they walked. "So I'm really stuck with you?"
"Yes," he said simply. "You stole my heart. Now you carry part of me inside you. That means you belong to me until I decide what to do with you."
The words made Liora feel even more afraid. She looked at the tall, dangerous demon walking beside her and whispered, "I just wanted to change the future. I didn't mean to make everything worse."
Cairis stopped and turned to face her. He stepped close, towering over her again. "The future is already changed, little witch. But if you cry or slow me down again, I will make sure you regret stealing from me."
Liora nodded quickly, too scared to argue.
Suddenly, the heart shard pulsed strongly. A wave of heat and strange energy rushed through both of them. Liora gasped and grabbed Cairis's arm without thinking. He tensed but did not push her away.
The bond was getting stronger.
In the distance, the horns sounded again. The hunt was not over.
Cairis looked down at her with dark, dangerous eyes. "We keep moving. And pray your little shadow magic can help us when the real fight comes."
Liora followed him deeper into the unknown forest, terrified of the demon beside her, terrified of the knights behind them, and most of all — terrified of the warm, pulling feeling growing inside her chest.
She had stolen a demon prince's heart to save him.
Now she wondered if she had just started a nightmare she could never escape.
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