For a brief moment, Xena truly thought she was going to die at William’s hands. But just as she was on the verge of suffocation, he let go. She gasped for air, chest rising and falling violently. The sharp, metallic taste of blood spread in her throat—it hurt to even breathe. “If anything happens to her, you’ll die with her.” His words weren’t a threat. They were a cold, emotionless statement of fact. Xena’s terror spiked. She knew he meant it. No! Layla couldn’t die! Desperate, Xena blurted out, “Mr. Lucas, I don’t know where she was heading, but I saw which direction she went!” William’s piercing gaze locked onto her. “Show me.” *The night was eerily silent as an old van rumbled along a narrow, uneven road, surrounded by towering, two-meter-high wild grass. Inside the van, Layla stirred awake, her head no longer throbbing as violently. The sedative Xena had injected into her had dulled the pain but now, clarity set in. She remained still
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