Branches whipped at Taryn's face as she sprinted through the underbrush, her boots hammering against the dirt. The cursed chain between her and Lucien rattled with every movement, snagging on roots and low branches.

"Faster!" Taryn hissed, glancing over her shoulder. The hunters weren't far behind—dark shapes cutting through the trees like wolves on the hunt.

"I'm trying, warrior," Lucien said, not sounding remotely out of breath. He moved with infuriating ease, barely making a sound, even as the forest fought to slow them down. "This is much easier when your partner isn't dragging you."

They sprinted through the forest, the chain jerking painfully every time one of them moved too far ahead. Taryn gritted her teeth and pushed harder, her legs burning as she forced herself forward. The chain jerked again, yanking painfully at her wrist when Lucien ducked a low branch she hadn't seen.

"Stick together!" she growled, shoving the branch aside. A crossbow bolt thudded into a tree just inches from Taryn's head, splintering bark into her hair.

"I thought you liked space," Lucien shot back, amusement flickering in his voice. "Change of heart?"

A sharp whistle cut through the trees—a signal from the hunters. Taryn's heart slammed against her ribs as she heard the rustle of footsteps fanning out, closing in from all sides.

"They're circling us," she muttered, scanning the forest ahead. They needed to lose them—fast—or this mission would end before it began.

"There!" Lucien pointed toward a ravine cutting through the forest, the steep banks tangled with roots and rocks. "We jump."

Taryn didn't hesitate. She veered toward the ravine, skidding to a halt at the edge. It wasn't far—just a ten-foot drop—but the slope was slick with mud, and the chain between them made the jump trickier than usual.

Lucien gave her a devil-may-care grin. "After you."

Taryn shot him a glare, but there was no time to argue. She launched herself off the edge, landing hard on the muddy slope. Her boots slid out from under her, and she tumbled down the bank, the chain jerking painfully as Lucien followed right after her.

They hit the bottom in a tangled heap, the chain wrapped awkwardly between them, mud caking their clothes and hair. Taryn scrambled to her feet, ignoring the sharp sting in her wrist where the chain had twisted. Lucien rose beside her, brushing dirt from his coat with infuriating calm.

"I thought vampires were supposed to land on their feet," she muttered, brushing mud from her clothes.

Lucien grinned, all teeth. "And I thought warriors were supposed to have a plan that didn't involve falling on me."

Taryn ignored him, scanning the ravine. The hunters were close—she could hear their shouts from above, their boots thudding against the forest floor.

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"There." She pointed to a narrow break in the wall of roots, just wide enough for them to squeeze through. "We go through there and double back."

Lucien gave her a skeptical look. "And if it's a dead end?"

Taryn shot him a grim smile. "Then I'll let them kill you first."

Lucien chuckled, low and dangerous, but didn't argue. They slipped through the gap in the roots, squeezing into the narrow tunnel.

The space was tight, forcing them to move in sync—an awkward dance of elbows and muttered curses as the cursed chain clinked between them. Taryn went first, slithering through the tangled roots, with Lucien close behind.

"Try not to get stuck," she muttered, her voice tight with effort.

Lucien's grin was audible in his reply. "I'll do my best."

They emerged on the other side, breathless and covered in mud. The forest around them was eerily quiet—too quiet. For a moment, Taryn dared to hope they'd lost the hunters.

Then a low whistle sounded from the treetops—a signal.

"They're still close," Lucien muttered, his voice sharp.

Taryn cursed under her breath, grabbing Lucien's wrist. "Run."

They sprinted deeper into the forest, branches clawing at their clothes as they dodged between trees. The chain between them jerked and twisted, pulling tight with every misstep. But somehow, they stayed upright.

Ahead, Taryn spotted a small clearing. "There!" she called over her shoulder. "We can hide there and regroup."

They reached the clearing and dove behind a cluster of boulders, breath ragged in their throats. Taryn pressed her back against the cool stone, listening intently.

The forest rustled around them, but the sound of pursuit had faded. The hunters were close, but not close enough to see them. Yet.

Lucien crouched beside her, his silver eyes scanning the tree line. "That was fun."

Taryn shot him a look that could have melted steel. "Shut up."

For a few moments, they sat in tense silence, catching their breath. The chain between them hummed softly with magic, a reminder that their escape was only temporary.

Once the pounding in her chest had settled, Taryn shifted, pulling the cursed chain onto the rock surface in front of her. "We need to get this off," she muttered. "Before it gets us killed."

Lucien arched a brow. "And how, exactly, do you plan to do that?"

Taryn didn't answer. She rummaged through the grass around her, pulling up a jagged rock. "Hold still."

Lucien's lips twitched with amusement. "You're going to hit it with a rock? That's your grand plan?"

"Unless you have a better one?" Taryn snapped.

Lucien shrugged, all lazy arrogance. "By all means, warrior. Smash away."

Taryn braced the chain against the stone, gripping the rock tightly in both hands. She raised it high and brought it down with all her strength.

The impact echoed through the clearing with a sharp crack. For a brief moment, she thought it had worked—the links shivered beneath the blow.

But then the magic surged, violent and unyielding.

A sharp jolt of energy shot through the chain, racing up Taryn's arm like fire. She hissed in pain, dropping the rock as the magic burned her skin.

Lucien hissed, shaking his hand out as the curse rebounded through him too. "That went well," he muttered, flexing his fingers.

Taryn clutched her wrist, biting back a snarl. "The chain isn't just enchanted—it's cursed."

Every time she tried to solve the problem herself, the chain reminded her she wasn't in control. And worse—she wasn't alone.

Lucien flexed his hand with a grimace, his earlier amusement replaced by something colder. "So, we're stuck."

"Looks like it," Taryn muttered, frustration burning in her chest.

Lucien gave the chain a light tug, testing its limits. "No escape, even if we wanted one." His voice was edged with disbelief—and something dangerously close to humor. "Well, this is going to be interesting."

Taryn yanked on the chain, making Lucien stumble toward her. "Keep testing me, vampire. See what happens." Taryn shot him a glare, her patience fraying at the edges. "Come on. We need to keep moving."

And just like that, they were running again—two unwilling partners, bound by magic and circumstance, with no choice but to survive together.