Chapter 37 : Trapped by Love

*Lynn*

My boots landed against the thick mud that coated the gardens outside. Fresh snowmelt had created a sludge that was nearly impossible to get through. I heard footsteps behind me and glanced over my shoulder, fearing the worst.

A guard waltzed past a far door, whistling as he went. He didn’t notice me as he walked further down the path. I released a sigh of relief as I worked to get my boot unstuck from the mud.

The light above me turned on. At first, I didn’t give it notice as I went along the cobbled path that led into the forest. Every couple of steps, I would turn and erase my footprints with the toe of my boot.

I felt my escape was going well. No one had, as of yet, noticed my absence nor tried to prevent me from leaving.

But there was one key factor I had neglected to remember. Calix and I were bonding. Though unmated, we were still connected in a way others weren’t. Even as I stepped along, I could feel his tired ease inside the castle.