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The Wild and the Crown: A Journey of Love and Awakening From the Shadows of Captivity to an Eternal Happily Ever After / Chapter 16 / 20

Chapter 16 - The Mountain Pass Ambush

The royal carriage wound its way higher into the treacherous switchbacks of the Gray Mountain pass, surrounded by towering cliffs and dense pine forests. The morning mist clung heavily to the rocks, reducing visibility to just a few dozen yards.

Inside the carriage, Rowan suddenly opened his eyes. He had been dozing quietly with his hand resting near Evelyne’s.

"Rowan? What is it?" Evelyne asked instantly, noticing the sudden tension in his frame.

"Something’s wrong," Rowan said, his gaze fixed on the dense fog outside. "The wind just stopped. Completely."

Before Evelyne could reply, a deafening roar echoed down the canyon. CRASH! A massive boulder plummeted from the cliffs above, smashing directly into the path ahead of the royal carriage, sending the horses rearing in sheer terror.

"Ambush!" Captain Darius’s voice rang out like thunder through the fog. "Draw swords! Protect the carriage!"

Instantly, the crisp morning air erupted into the clatter of steel against steel. Out of the swirling mist, dozens of figures clad in white plate armor and dark cloaks surged down the rocky slopes—temple guards loyal to High Inquisitor Malakor.

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Rowan kicked open the carriage door and stepped out onto the rocky path. Evelyne moved to follow, but Rowan held up a hand. "Stay inside where it's safe."

"Not anymore," Evelyne declared with fierce resolve, stepping down right beside him. Her hand slid firmly into his. With their skin touching, the full strength of her recovered body surged through her limbs, and she drew a slender silver dagger from her belt. "We fight together."

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Chapter 17 - The Clash of Fates
Chapter 18 - Breaking the Final Chain
Chapter 19 - The Return to the Capital
Chapter 20 - Happily Ever After

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