As Axelius leaned against the tree, enjoying the rare moment of peace and quiet away from the buzzing party, he slowly began to relax, the sounds of laughter and music fading into a distant hum behind the leaves and wind.
But just as he was starting to drift off into a light daze, he felt the faint crunch of grass beneath someone's foot in front of him, and with a tired sigh, he opened one eye lazily, expecting maybe a maid or Ellory.
However, before he could react or fully understand what was happening, a rough cloth sack was suddenly thrown over his head, and everything went dark. His body tensed in surprise, but hands were already grabbing him—quick and practiced hands, not the kind of clumsy movement one might expect from a prank.
In a single breathless second, he was lifted and everything around him spun. He struggled, but whoever it was moved fast and efficiently, and he felt himself being dragged and carried somewhere.
