Chapter 77

HAZEL

The guards do not bother to respond, their faces stony and impassive as they focus on the road ahead. I feel a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach, a sense of dread creeping over me like a suffocating fog.

“Please, you have to tell me what's going on!” I plead, desperation seeping into my voice. “I need to know.”

Still, the guards remain silent, their silence like a death sentence hanging heavy in the air. I can feel the panic rising within me, threatening to consume me whole. Something is wrong somewhere.

Suddenly, the carriage lurches to a halt, throwing me forward against the hard wooden seat with a sharp cry of pain. Before I can even gather my wits, the door is wrenched open and two masked figures loom in the doorway, their faces masked by shadows.

“Come with us!” One of them growls, reaching out to grab me roughly by the arm.

I try to pull away, to fight back, but they're too strong, too determined. With a yank, they drag me out of the carriage and onto the