The unicorn lay still, breath shallow, body trembling under the soft sheets Victor's guards had thrown over it. Its shimmering coat was dulled, and its once-glowing horn flickered faintly. She knelt beside it, her fingers barely brushing its side, heart pounding in guilt and helplessness.
Victor paced at the edge of the room, arms folded, eyes narrowed. "You brought *this* here? You didn't think *at all*?"
She looked up at him. "It needed help. I couldn't just leave it. You weren't like this before what changed?"
Victor stopped. "You don't get it. This creature… it's not just rare it's dangerous. It's being hunted, probably tracked. You've put all of us in danger."
Tears burned at the corners of her eyes. "Then why didn't it attack me? Why did it connect with me?"
Victor hesitated, watching her. The unicorn stirred weakly, lifting its head just enough to nuzzle her shoulder. A soft glow passed between them. In that moment, the room warmed slightly as if the creature trusted her completely, even in its dying state.
He saw it too.
"I don't know what's going on," Victor muttered. "But if it bonded with you, we're in deeper than I thought."
She whispered, "Maybe it chose me for a reason."
Suddenly, the unicorn jolted upright, eyes wide with panic. Its horn glowed bright again unstable, sparking. From outside, a low whirring hum echoed in the air.
"They found us," Victor said grimly.
The lights flickered. Guards rushed to the windows, weapons drawn. Outside, dark drones hovered like vultures.
She stood, heart racing. "We have to move it."
Victor grabbed her wrist. "No *you* stay hidden. Whatever this is, they're after it, not you."
She pulled away. "I'm not leaving it. I made a promise."
Victor stared at her, then sighed. "Then let's get out alive. Together."
Victor slammed his hand on a concealed switch in the wall. A section of the floor shifted open, revealing a narrow tunnel beneath the rug.
"Help me carry it," he said.
Together, they lifted the unicorn. It was heavier than it looked, limp but conscious, its horn dimming as though to hide its glow. The tunnel smelled like dust and old metal, but it was their only shot.
They moved fast, Victor leading the way with a flashlight. Above them, muffled shouting and the buzz of drones filled the air. She kept whispering to the unicorn, trying to soothe it, her hand over its chest where its heart fluttered weakly.
"Where does this lead?" she asked.
"My old lab," Victor muttered. "Off-grid. Reinforced. It's where I used to test things before the agency got involved."
The unicorn whined, its head twitching toward her, its horn pulsing gently. She felt something *not* a voice, but a feeling. A soft ache. Fear, maybe… or warning.
They reached a steel hatch. Victor punched in a code. The door opened with a hiss, revealing a dim room filled with old tech and dried-up plants. In the center, an energy table flickered with a faint blue light.
"Put it here," Victor said.
As they laid the unicorn down, its horn pulsed again, brighter now. The lights above them flickered once more then steadied. She looked at Victor, who was frozen, staring at the unicorn.
"You saw that, right?" she said.
He nodded. "It's healing itself… drawing power from the room."
She stepped closer, her fingers brushing its horn gently. A shock passed through her not painful, but intense. In that moment, she saw flashes *a forest burned, hunters with masks, a glowing tree… a secret buried beneath it.*
She gasped and stumbled back.
Victor caught her. "What did it show you?"
She looked at him, eyes wide. "It's not just magic. It's memory. It's asking for help."
Victor's face darkened. "Then we're in deeper than we thought."
From behind them, a loud bang echoed through the tunnel. The entrance had been breached.
They had minutes maybe seconds.
And the unicorn… was just beginning to awaken.
The ground trembled faintly. She turned toward the tunnel, heart pounding. Victor moved quickly, sealing the hatch behind them.
"Won't stop them for long," he muttered.
The unicorn let out a low, melodic hum. Its horn brightened not blinding, but alive. The glow wrapped gently around her fingers like warm mist. She closed her eyes, letting it wash over her.
Suddenly, her mind filled with emotion not her own. Pain. Exile. Desperation. The unicorn wasn't just running… it was the *last of its kind*.
"They hunted them to extinction," she whispered.
Victor looked up. "Who?"
She opened her eyes. "People like the ones chasing us. They wanted the magic. The horn… it holds knowledge. Ancient, powerful, alive."
He stared at the unicorn, then at her. "And now that knowledge is inside you."
She nodded slowly. "It shared it with me. I think… I think I'm bonded."
The unicorn stirred again, stronger this time. It stood, shakily, but its eyes were alert now focused. It moved to her side, gently pressing its horn to her chest. The glow pulsed once.
Victor took a slow breath. "We need to disappear. Now."
But as he reached for his gear, a metallic voice echoed from the walls.
*"Surrender the creature. Or be terminated."*
She froze.
Victor's face hardened. "No time."
He handed her a device round, black, with a blinking light. "Hit this when I say. It'll blow the bridge behind us."
Her fingers shook. "What about you?"
"I'll catch up."
"No—"
"I said I'll catch up."
Footsteps thundered above. The unicorn's horn lit again brighter now, ready. It stepped between them and the hatch. Protector. Warrior.
Victor grabbed her hand. "Run."
And together with the unicorn they fled, just as the door behind them exploded inward.
The chase had truly begun.
The explosion behind them echoed like thunder through the steel walls, and smoke hissed into the tunnel. She stumbled, gripping the unicorn's mane for balance as they ran. Victor was just ahead, flashlight bobbing, leading the way deeper into the old escape path beneath his estate.
She could still hear the metallic voice in her mind *Surrender the creature. Or be terminated.*
The unicorn kept pace beside her, still weak but growing stronger with every step. Its horn glowed steadily now, casting shifting light on the damp tunnel walls. Somehow, the deeper they went, the stronger the warmth became. It wasn't just physical strength it was purpose.
"They won't stop," she said breathlessly. "They'll come after us until it's gone."
Victor didn't turn around. "Then we stay ahead. We find who created that bond between you and the unicorn. There must be others answers."
She swallowed. "But if I'm bonded to it… does that mean they'll come after me too?"
He finally turned, eyes meeting hers in the flickering light. "They already are."
The truth hung heavy between them.