ra pulled Dn onto the bed, her fingers brushing against his damp hair. She raised an eyebrow. "You took a shower beforeing over?"

    He didn''t answer. Instead, he turned his head away, silent as ever.

    ra sighed. This guy was impossible-so repressed and stubborn.

    Fine. If Dn wouldn''t talk, she had other ways to get him to open up. Words didn''t work on him, but she was pretty sure her tongue would.

    And just like that, the second she kissed him, he gave in.

    His eyes darkened, hands finding her waist. He hesitated for a few seconds before finally murmuring, "What is it you want to ask me so badly?"

    She was really going above and beyond just to get an answer out of him.

    Everything after that just happened naturally. When ra took the lead, Dn never stood a chance.

    Honestly, it wasn''t even about refusing he couldn''t think straight, let alone say

    no.

    By the time they finally came up for air, the sky outside was already turning pale with morning light.

    ra was exhausted. She rolled over and yawned. "Let me sleep first. I''ll ask youter."

    Dny beside her, pulling her closer, pressing a kiss into her hair.

    She fell asleep almost instantly. Lately, her dreams had been relentless— especially after that showdown with Simon. The memories kept looping in her mind, leaving her restless.

    In her dreams, there was always someone who made her feel safe and warm. Thatfort, though, always felt like it was hiding underyers of secrets, making her shiver even as she tried to hold onto it.

    She dreamed again that night.

    She was somewhere hot and sticky, wounded, everything around her hazy.

    In the dream, her mentor had thrown her into a survival test-fifteen days alone. If she made it, she''d prove herself.

    She remembered overhearing her older brother''s voice: "Does it have to be like this? She''s just a kid."

    "A kid?" the mentor shot back. "You were younger when you did it. Survive, or you''re no use to us. You managed-don''t get soft now."

    "I just..."

    Their voices faded. ra had always been afraid of her mentor-strict, but sometimes almost gentle.

    Even when training pushed her to the edge, she held on. She wanted to protect the people she cared about.

    But those days in the wild weren''t just about dodging wild animals-there were people out there who wanted her dead.

    She barely made it through the first ten days, dealing with every threat, until some poisonous spray hit her eyes, blinding her.

    She was just a kid, desperate to survive. And right when she thought she couldn''t go on, a hand found hers.

    Her heart jumped. "Ben? Is that you?"

    The hand stiffened, but he didn''t answer.

    ra was sure it was Ben. He always looked out for her, more than anyone.

    But her eyes hurt, she couldn''t see, and the ce was crawling with poisonous bugs. Tears started rolling down her cheeks.

    "Ben, I don''t get it. Why does our mentor do this to us? Why is it so dangerous? And why did youe here too?"

    He still didn''t say anything, just pressed some food into her hand Her stomach settled, and with his han@guiding her, she kept moving, step by step.

    That night, Ben was quieter than ever, but his silence made her feel safe.

    He was strong enough to handle

    every wild animal, even roasted some meat for her over the fire She cried again, swearing up at the sky that one day, she''d marry him.

    He never said a word, like someone had taken away his voice.

    So different from the gentle, teasing Ben she remembered.

    For three whole days, he led her through the wilderness. Even though she was weak from the poison,

    barely conscious, she remet

    saying all kinds of silly

    things-promising to love him

    forever, to marry him when they got

    out and grew up.

    She was just a kid, saying childish things. But someone out there took her at her

    word.