The Assassin | KITTYZ

Chapter 6: Shadows of The Past

HAERIN'S POV

The days after our escape had been anything but peaceful. We had barely managed to keep ahead of the king's detectives, moving from one hideout to the next. The tension in the air was palpable, and every small noise set my nerves on edge.

We had taken refuge in an abandoned house on the outskirts of a small town. The structure was old and decrepit, with peeling paint and creaky floorboards that groaned under the weight of our footsteps. It was a far cry from the lavish accommodations I had grown accustomed to, but it provided the cover we needed.

I stood by the window, peering out into the darkness. The moonlight bathed the landscape in an eerie glow, casting long shadows across the overgrown yard. My hand instinctively moved to the dagger at my side, a constant reminder of the world I lived in.

"Haerin, we've got company," Hyein whispered urgently from the other side of the room, her eyes fixed on the screen of her handheld device. She had been monitoring local communications, keeping track of the king's men as they closed in on us.

"How close?" I asked, my voice steady despite the rush of adrenaline that surged through me.

"Too close," she replied, her fingers tapping rapidly as she pulled up a map. "They're sweeping the area. We have maybe ten minutes before they're on top of us."

I cursed under my breath and turned to Danielle, who was busy checking her weapons. "We need to move. Now."

Danielle nodded, her face set in grim determination. "I'll cover the rear."

We moved quickly, gathering our few belongings and slipping out the back door. The night air was cool against my skin, and the silence was deafening as we made our way through the overgrown garden. Every instinct screamed at me to move faster, to put as much distance between us and the approaching threat as possible.

We had barely reached the edge of the property when the sound of voices and footsteps reached my ears. I motioned for Danielle and Hyein to take cover behind a crumbling stone wall as I peered through a gap to assess the situation.

A group of the king's men, heavily armed and clearly on alert, was making its way toward the house. They were methodical in their search, sweeping the area with practiced precision. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized just how close they were.

"They're going to find us if we stay here," Danielle whispered, her voice tense.

"I know," I replied, my mind racing as I tried to come up with a plan. "We'll have to draw them away from the house."

"How?" Hyein asked, her eyes wide with concern.

I glanced around, my gaze landing on an old shed a short distance away. "We'll set a fire. It'll create a distraction long enough for us to slip away."

Danielle nodded, understanding my intent. "I'll do it. You two get ready to move."

As Danielle crept toward the shed, I positioned myself near the path the men were taking, ready to lead Hyein to safety once the fire drew their attention. The minutes stretched out agonizingly, each second feeling like an eternity.

Finally, the shed erupted in flames, the fire quickly spreading as the dry wood caught alight. The sudden blaze startled the king's men, and they hurried toward it, their focus shifting from the house to the rapidly growing inferno.

"Now," I hissed, grabbing Hyein's arm and pulling her along the opposite path. We moved quickly and silently, keeping low as we slipped away from the burning shed.

We had just reached the cover of the trees when a shout rang out behind us. One of the men had spotted us, and before we knew it, a bullet whizzed past my ear, narrowly missing me.

"Run!" I shouted, breaking into a sprint. The sound of gunfire echoed through the night as we zigzagged through the trees, trying to make ourselves harder targets.

Danielle caught up with us, her face grim as she fired back at our pursuers. "Keep going, I'll hold them off!"

"No!" I shouted back. "We stick together!"

But before I could argue further, a sharp pain tore through my leg. I stumbled, the world tilting as I fell to the ground. The pain was intense, and for a moment, I thought I wouldn't be able to get back up.

"Haerin!" Hyein cried, dropping to her knees beside me.

"I'm fine," I lied, gritting my teeth against the pain. "We need to keep moving."

Danielle grabbed my arm, helping me to my feet as we continued our desperate escape. The adrenaline kept me going, but I knew I wouldn't last much longer.

"Up ahead!" Hyein pointed to a small river, the water glistening in the moonlight. "We can use it to lose our scent."

We reached the riverbank, the cold water biting into my legs as we waded across. The current was strong, but we pushed through, the sound of our pursuers growing fainter as we put more distance between us.

Finally, we reached the other side, collapsing onto the muddy bank. The pain in my leg was excruciating, but the relief of having escaped was overwhelming.

Danielle leaned against a tree, breathing heavily. "That was too close."

"Yeah," I agreed, wincing as I inspected the wound on my leg. "But we made it."

Hyein knelt beside me, her hands trembling as she tried to stop the bleeding. "We need to find a safe place to treat this."

I nodded, though I knew it would be difficult to find somewhere safe enough to stop and rest. The king's men would be relentless in their pursuit, and our options were running out.

But we couldn't give up. Not now. Not after everything we had been through.

"Let's keep moving," I said, forcing myself to stand despite the pain. "We'll find somewhere."

As we pushed on, the night closed in around us, the shadows deepening as we made our way through the dark forest. The hunt was far from over, but for now, we were still alive. And as long as we were alive, we still had a chance. We don't give up easily. Only weak people do. And we know that we're not weak.

☆