Chapter6.

My eyes had already grown accustomed to the darkness, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to continue. I couldn't remember which trail he had taken. I was almost unconscious and being carried upside down by him.

Torrential rain fell around me, and a storm rumbled above.

The sound of thunder grew louder as I ran through the woods.

"Damn, how am I going to find my way back?" I muttered to myself.

I stopped near a tree, leaned on it, and caught my breath.

My clothes were soaked, and I could feel the bitter cold; my hands were freezing. I hugged myself and looked around, trying to figure out where to go.

Would he be able to find me? It must be hard to follow my scent in the rain, so I had the advantage—if only I weren't lost.

I ran my hands over my face, trying to wipe away the excess water clouding my vision. As soon as I took a step forward, I fell into a deep hole. Before I could realize where I was, I rolled down the embankment, screaming desperately.

I kept falling, feeling my body being scratched and pierced by sharp rocks and pointed branches, until I felt a hand grab mine.

I looked up at Marius, who was holding onto a rock with one hand and holding onto me with the other.

"We're going to die! We're going to die!" I screamed because the fall was too big, and I couldn't see the ground.

"We're not," he said.

Stay still!" he growled.

I could see how hard he was trying to hold onto the rock.

The rain was still falling, making everything more difficult.

Slowly, Marius pulled us up.

I fell into the mud, trying to catch my breath. My heart beat wildly while my mind slowed down, unable to process what had just happened. I couldn't feel the cuts on my body. I could only think that I was alive.

I looked up at Marius, whose hair was wet and stuck to his forehead.

His chest rose and fell as he breathed heavily. His hands were scratched, probably from climbing down part of the ravine to help me.

His expression was impassive, and because of that, I got up.

"Marius, thank you.

You saved my—"

"I only saved you because I need to find someone. It has nothing to do with you," he interrupted, shouting over the rain.

I considered pushing him down the ravine, but he had saved my life, even though he didn't care about it.

Marius grabbed my arm and dragged me back to the house as the rain fell on us. I didn't fight him. I was too tired to argue and too cold to refuse the warmth of the cabin.

I let Marius hold my arm and drag me along.

His hand was warm, his grip was strong, and he walked with determination.

When we finally reached the cabin, I breathed a sigh of relief, already thinking about the warmth inside.

But, to my surprise, Marius turned and stared at me.

"Why aren't you afraid of me?" he shouted over the rain.

"What?"

"Let's go inside," Marius said, approaching me.

His eyes were darker, and his hair was stuck to his forehead.

Through clenched teeth, he asked, "Aren't you afraid of what I might do to you for disobeying me like that?"

I stared at him, feeling my energy renewed by this confrontation.

"Do you really think I would agree to stay here with you for a year, waiting for you to find the person you want and then set me free?"

I shouted back.

Marius lunged forward abruptly, grabbed my face by the chin, and squeezed it hard.

"What I think is that you believe that, since I said I wouldn't kill you, you can talk to me like that and deceive me. But you're terribly mistaken."

I had been afraid of Marius since he appeared and easily destroyed the men. However, his saying that he needed me alive changed things, making it easier for me to plan my escape.

The rain was still pouring down around us as Marius dragged me to the house.

We were both soaking the wooden floor.

He held my arm tightly even though I had no intention of running away. He dragged me to the room where I was locked up and pushed me inside.

Cowering in a corner, I watched him remove all the blankets and cloths from the room, looking at him in disbelief.

I was soaked and shivering, and he was taking away the blankets and clothes that I needed—he was damned, diabolical, and cruel!