CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY – THE LESSONS CAME IN HANDY

Cassie's heart raced. She had to get out of the truck before it reached the checkpoint. Quietly, she made her way to the rear doors, testing them gently. They were locked from the outside. For a moment, panic threatened to overwhelm her. Then, she took a deep breath, centering herself. She thought of Florian, of everything she had been through to get this far. She wasn't going to let a locked door stop her now. Summoning her wyld strength, Cassie braced herself against the wall of the trailer. With a powerful kick, she burst the doors open, leaping out into the night. She hit the ground running, ignoring the shouts of alarm behind her. Her enhanced night vision allowed her to navigate the dense forest alongside the highway, quickly losing her pursuers in the undergrowth. Cassie ran for what felt like hours, pushing her body to its limits. When she finally allowed herself to slow down, she realized she had no idea where she was. The forest stretched out in every direction, dark and