Chapter 4 - The Midnight Ride
Ghost thundered across the expansive lawns, his hooves tearing deep gashes into the pristine manicured grass.
The cold night wind whipped through Elara’s hair, carrying the terrifying shouts of the pursuing guards.
She clung desperately to the stallion’s white mane, her lifeless legs bouncing awkwardly against the animal's massive flanks.
The boy sat behind her, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist to keep her from falling.
Gunfire erupted from the balcony, the sharp cracks echoing over the rolling hills of the estate.
A bullet clipped the heavy iron gate just as Ghost leaped effortlessly over it, sending a shower of orange sparks into the darkness.
They plunged into the dense, overgrown labyrinth of the Blackwood Forest, completely abandoning the safety of the paved roads.
The heavy canopy of ancient oak trees instantly swallowed the moonlight, plunging them into terrifying darkness.
Ghost navigated the treacherous terrain with supernatural agility, guided entirely by the boy's gentle whispers.
They rode for hours, putting miles of unforgiving wilderness between themselves and the nightmarish manor.
Suddenly, a violent tremor wracked Elara’s entire body, starting from her chest and shooting down to her useless toes.
She gasped, her fingers losing their desperate grip on the horse’s coarse mane.
The boy immediately pulled back on the reins, bringing the exhausted stallion to a gentle halt in a small clearing.
He slid off the horse and reached up to catch Elara just as she collapsed.
He laid her gently on a bed of soft moss, watching as her skin turned a terrifying, ashen gray.
What is happening to me.
She choked out the words, her teeth chattering violently despite the warm summer air.
The boy touched her forehead, his own face tight with deep, desperate worry.
Your body is going into acute withdrawal from the paralytic poison.
He pulled a small leather pouch from his pocket, pulling out a handful of crushed, dried leaves.
Your father designed the chemical so that your heart would stop if you ever missed a dose for more than twelve hours.
Elara’s breath hitched in her throat as a wave of fiery agony tore through her veins.
Her vision began to blur, the edges of the forest fading into an absolute, inky blackness.
The boy pressed his hands against her chest, the same warm spark from the patio flaring wildly between his fingers.
I am not going to let you die here, Elara.
A loud, mechanical buzzing sound suddenly cut through the peaceful silence of the forest clearing.
May you like
Elara forced her heavy eyes open and saw a massive military-grade drone hovering directly above them.
A harsh red laser painted a glowing target directly onto the center of the boy's forehead.
