Rebellious Love

"Fuck this shit," I muttered under my breath, bolting in the opposite direction of where Edward had gone. 

I needed to create as much noise as possible, anything to divert their attention. I crashed through bushes, banging branches on the ground, and even using my sword to create cuts on the trees to ensure they would follow.

But as I stopped to catch my breath, it became clear—it wasn't enough.

Desperation kicked in. I scanned my surroundings, spotting some dry wood and leaves nearby. 

I knelt down and began rubbing two sticks together, my hands trembling from both urgency and exhaustion. "Come on, come on," I hissed under my breath as sweat trickled down my temple. 

Finally, a tiny ember appeared, and I blew on it gently, feeding it with the dry leaves. The fire grew, and soon, I held a crude but functional torch.

Holding the torch high, I waved it to ensure they noticed.

"There! There! Someone's over there!" a soldier yelled, his voice cutting through the night as they spotted the light.

I exhaled sharply. It worked.

Without hesitation, I sprinted again, this time ensuring I stayed in view just enough to keep their attention. My face was hidden behind a mask, revealing only my eyes, and my head was covered as well.

As the soldiers chased me, I kept running, luring them further and further away from Edward's path. With a horse, he should already be far from here by now. Thank goodness.

But now, I needed to think fast. I had to disappear into the shadows and return to my manor before dawn. 

Easier said than done, especially since I knew exactly what these soldiers were capable of—after all, I had trained many of them myself.

The soldiers' shouts grew louder behind me, and I could hear their boots pounding the ground as they gave chase. 

My breathing was ragged, and my legs burned with each step, but I didn't slow down. Edward needed more time.

Dodging low-hanging branches, I darted through the trees, weaving unpredictably to make myself harder to catch. I leapt over a fallen log and slid down a small slope, the torchlight casting eerie shadows around me. 

The forest seemed endless, but I kept running, leading the soldiers further away.

An hour passed, and my body screamed for rest. Just when I thought I might lose them, I skidded to a stop, surrounded. Torches and swords gleamed in the dark as the soldiers closed in.

"Drop your weapons and remove your mask!" one of them commanded.

I turned slowly to face the voice. It was no other than Lex, standing tall with a torch in hand. The dim light illuminated his sharp features, though my mask kept my identity safe for now.

When I didn't move, he repeated the order. I stayed silent, refusing to give in.

"One last warning," he growled. "Or I'll take necessary action."

My lips curled into a defiant smirk beneath the mask. 

Instead of surrendering, I spun around and slammed the torch into the chest of the nearest soldier. He staggered back with a grunt, dropping his weapon.

Chaos erupted.

Another soldier lunged at me, and I ducked under his swing, kicking his legs out from under him. I grabbed the hilt of his fallen sword and used it to block the next attack, the clash of steel ringing out in the night.