I let out a relieved breath as the man closed the window. My heart was racing, and blood was pounding in my ears.
Stupid chickens, I thought, could have been caught.
I shivered and adjusted my cloak over my shoulders.
And if that happened, being cold would be the least of my problems.
The light drizzle of rain was like fog around me. I slowly walked out of the courtyard, wincing as I stumbled against a metal pipe hidden in the shadows.
What mess have I gotten into now?
I thought of what I had just heard. They had found me again. I had to leave now. It rained harder, and my sturdy shoes squelched in the mud.
I hated rain, but in this case, I didn't complain; it hid me from curious eyes. I slowly walked towards the end of the street and soon reached the outskirts of the town.
I suddenly stopped, breathless. My right shoulder burned. The pain bore through me as I bent over, my eyes filled with tears. I looked down in horror. A glint of Star Essence shimmered around my legs, my cloak hardly hiding its light.
I panicked. Fighting back the pain in my neck and shoulder, I ran.
I soon heard shouts behind me, and lights emerged from the city.
No. Not here, not now!
I ran as fast as I could, slipping in the mud, crossing through fields, and crawling through hedges. I tried to stop the glow and the magic surging in my body, pushing and urging me to let it out.
I heard the Cavaliers getting closer every minute, their Star Essence building up; they were going to use their weapons soon.
I scrambled through long grass, ripping my clothes on thorns and scrawling my hands on sharp rocks.
I threw myself to the floor as a bolt of burning fire shot through the air.
They had started the hunt and were going to catch me, unless...
I grabbed the sharpest stone I could find and squeezed it in my fist. A sharp pain stung my palm, and the light around me faded. My shoulder twitched for the last time, and the pain was gone.
Good...now hide!
I crouched down, hidden from sight thanks to a dark bush, and searched my surroundings, my eyes shining in the night.
"Where did she go?" I heard one of the Cavaliers say:
"I can't sense her, sir. What should we do?" Another asked. My eyes lit up as I saw the glint of a stone wall poking out from the trees. Heavy footsteps approached. I froze, calculating.
"Now...we hunt." The deep voice of the commander rumbled. Silence fell. Nothing stirred.
Go!
I leaped out of my hiding place and ran as fast as I could. Shouts rang as another spell exploded inches away from my face. My feet felt like thunderbolts. I rushed through the field, dodging fire daggers and burning rays of shadow, sizzling through the air.
The thundering sound of the Cavaliers boots resonated in the night, my steady breath encouraging me and pushing me forward.
I was an inch away from their swords when I smiled. Time slowed, but I was ready for it. I slid to the ground one last time, and in a blink, Essence surrounded me, and I vanished.
My shoulder twitched again. My head spun as I cached my breath, my body shaking from exertion. I was in front of a wood door, watching the house, my grip on the stone walls reassuring. The sky was dark, and the clouds were hiding the stars. I looked up and searched the sky. There, in a space between a cluster of clouds at the far end of the universe, the familiar blue jewel blinks.
