"Capture that damn princess!"
The order rang through the trees.
Elowen didn't look back. She jumped over a fallen log, boots walking on wet leaves, bow already in her hand. An arrow snapped to the string, pulled then released.
A demon soldier behind her screamed and fell.
"Stop her!"
"You can try," she muttered, grabbing another arrow from the quiver at her hip.
Branches slapped her face as she ran. The forest was thick enough to hide in, but not thick enough to slow demons that could smell blood.
Their steps were loud behind her, armor clashing, weapons banging and curses shouted.
"Elowen, left," she whispered to herself, cutting around a tree. An axe missed her shoulder by inches and stuck in the bark with a dull thud.
"Damn, they really want to kill me." Elowen whispered.
She spun, planted her feet, drew and fired in one move.
The demon who threw the axe took the arrow in the eye. He dropped without a sound.
Two more rushed her. No time for the bow, sword now.
Her hand dropped, fingers gripping the leather hilt. Steel hissed free as she pushed off the ground to meet them.
The first demon swung wide with his heavy blade. Elowen ducked, stepped in, drove her sword up under his ribs. He grunted, eyes going blank as she pulled the blade free and turned.
The seconds were faster. His spear cut across her arm, hot pain burning. She hissed and stumbled back.
"Got you," he snarled, lunging again.
"In your dream," she snapped.
Her free hand glowed green, light sparking around her fingers as she pressed it to the wound.
The pain eased. She shoved off the tree, twisting aside as the spear cut empty air.
Her sword flashed. One clean stroke.
His head hit the ground with a loud thud.
"Where is she?!" another voice shouted. "She went this way!"
Elowen wiped blood from her cheek with her wrist and ran again, heart pounding. Her lungs burned, but the healing magic pulsed under her skin, easing the worst of the pain.
Just long enough.
I just need time to get out of range. Back to the valley. Back to—
An arrow shattered against the tree above her.
She ducked, rolled and came up crouching, bow in hand. Three demons rushed into view on the narrow path.
"There!"
"Shoot her!"
Elowen shot first.
Her arrow struck the lead demon in the throat. He dropped, choking on blood.
The other two fired wildly. One arrow cut her side, burning along her ribs. The other bounced off a rock into the brush.
Elowen bit back a cry and dove behind a mossy boulder. The world shrank to breath, heartbeat, hot blood down her side.
"Come out, human!" one demon laughed. "We'll make it quick if you stop running!"
"You're really bad liars," Elowen said through clenched teeth.
She pressed her hand to the wound. Green light flared, threads of magic sinking into torn flesh. The pain dulled, blood slowed, then stopped.
She heard them coming, armor clinking and boots crushing leaves.
"Where is she?"
"Spread out! She can't be far!"
Elowen rose in one smooth move, arrow nocked. She fired. It buried itself in the chest of the a demon, throwing him back.
The last one shouted and charged, sword raised.
She dropped the bow, met him halfway, blades clashing.
Another shout behind her. More footsteps.
Of course.
"Elowen!" a human voice cried, far off, panicked. "Fall back! We can't hold them!"
The battlefield lay beyond the trees, a storm of steel, screams, and demon fire. Her soldiers were out there, dying, trying to break a line that wouldn't move.
She couldn't go back. Not with demons chasing her.
"Capture the princess," one demon growled, too close. "How hard can it be, she is alone"
"She's alone but she is beating our ass." another one said and Elowen couldn't help but smirk at this.
She grabbed her bow, leaped onto a rise, and fired toward the voices. One screamed, cut off fast.
"She's there!"
Arrows answered. She rolled as shafts hissed past, snapping against trees. One grazed her calf; she hissed, rolled again, came up behind cover.
Her side ached, her arm throbbed, and even with magic the weight pressed on her bones. She pressed her hand to her calf, green light stitching the cut.
"Healer magic," one demon snarled. "She won't stop."
She burst from cover, sprinting toward a gap in the trees. Light flickered ahead—an opening, maybe a slope to the river. Safety. Or fewer demons.
Behind her, chaos.
"Don't let her get away!"
"She's heading east!"
Elowen darted between trees, ducking, jumping roots, ignoring her shaking legs. Another arrow sliced past her ear. She heard them gaining, heavy, careless, branches snapping.
Too many.
If she reached the clearing—
The trees broke.
She burst onto churned earth and stone, breath tearing in her chest. The sky was smoke-grey, the roar of battle louder. She saw armies clashing far off, banners and fire.
And in front of her, waiting, stood the Demon King.
He was taller than any demon she'd seen, clad in dark armor marked with glowing signs. crown of black metal sat on long dark hair. His eyes glowed red, locked on her.
Elowen's steps faltered.
No. Move.
She forced herself forward, sword raised, shouting as she charged. Every instinct screamed this was madness, but she had no choice. If she could break past him—
He lifted one hand.
The air thickened.
Elowen froze mid-stride. Invisible chains locked around her limbs. Her sword slipped from her hand, thudding to the ground.
"What—"
Her voice broke as the magic closed in, wrapping her tight. She could still breathe, but barely. Sparks of green light flickered at her skin, crushed by darker power.
Behind her, demons stopped, staring.
"She almost reached him," one muttered, half afraid.
The Demon King watched her calmly, head tilted, as if she were a tool. The magic tightened, lifting her off the ground. Her boots left the earth. She kicked, useless.
"Let me go," she forced out.
His lips curved faintly.
"Finally," he said, voice cold as steel. "Finally we have the princess."