[DISCONTINUED] Protector (Zane X Reader) Book 2

Chapter 6

Your P.O.V

I didn't know where I was going, and at this point, I wasn't sure I cared all that much.

The grass crunched beneath the soles of my feet, I jumped over rocks and small ravines, ran beside trees, and climbed over steep hills and inclines, but I couldn't suppress the need to run away.

But I stopped myself so suddenly that I stumbled a bit.

I realized what I was doing, and I hated myself for it.

You're running away. Again.

Skidding to a gradual stop, my eyes began to look around as I struggled to even out my breathing patterns.

It was still midnight, and all I could hear was the distant chirping of crickets and occasional clatter of skeletons.

A lump went down my throat. But my mind needed clarity, so I kept walking forwards. With no destination in mind, my thoughts wandered to where I left Zane's armor.

With a huff, I decided to go retrieve it so he wouldn't have a freak out when he came to.

Eventually, I realized I was only a few hundred yards away from where he almost died, so I changed my course.

But my body froze as voices entered my eardrums. They were coming from the clearing where Zane killed all of those bandits, and I could smell the blood from here.

With quiet steps, I moved closer to the massacre until I had a good view of the entire thing. Bodies littered the grass, some still spewing blood while others had already lost every ounce.

I gulped and quickly scaled the trunk of the sturdiest tree next to me. I made no noise as I hoisted myself upwards and crept onto a branch.

The voices were coming from a pair of people still alive in the clearing. In fact, they weren't even injured.

But upon closer inspection, it became evident these weren't bandits or guards.

Shadow knights.

I held my breath and forced myself to listen to their conversation. It was fuzzy, but I could kind of make their words out.

"... think Zane was here? The evidence is... clear." It sounded like a man, one with a voice so low it might be considered a growl.

"Ha! Of course it was! His armor is right there!" Oh Shad.

Is that-

Trent walked into the moonlight, giving me a clear view of his smiling face, those bright, sharpened teeth glittering in his face.

"So that means the bastard is nearby, and to make this even better," Trent walked over to a body and plucked something out of it.

I squinted my eyes to try and make it out. It took every bit of willpower to not gasp.

He was holding one of my bloodied arrows.

"It looks like his 'Oh-So-Impressive' Reaper chick is a two-faced little bitch! She fought alongside that psycho! So that means she's working with him." Trent smirked and snapped my arrow in half by clenching his fist.

His friend chuckled. "I will admit though... Reaper may have been secretive, but I thought she was as loyal as even you." Trent scoffed at this.

"Don't insult me! She's a pathetic excuse for an Elite! If it were up to me, I'd make her nothing but a slave. Unfortunately, Gene and I don't exactly see eye-to-eye." Trent hastily grabbed Zane's armor and half of my arrow that he crushed.