Zina's POV
The forest stretched endlessly into the darkness, the towering trees casting eerie shadows beneath the dim glow of the moon. Every step I took felt like wading through thick mud, my arms aching from holding Asher against my chest, but I refused to let go. He was the only thing grounding me in this nightmare, the only warmth in the bitter cold surrounding me.
Xaden walked ahead, his posture relaxed as if this was just another night for him, as if he wasn't dragging me deeper into the abyss of his twisted world. His men moved around us like a living wall, silent and watchful, their presence a constant reminder that there was no escape. No gaps. No openings.
But there had to be a way out.
I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to think. Running with Asher wasn't an option—not yet. He was too small, and I wouldn't be able to outrun fully grown men while carrying him. But if I could create a distraction, something to throw them off—
