Elias had become used to the filth now.

The first week after losing their mode of transportation had been hard on him since the odor of his body had made him cringe every time he took a sniff. Sina went without showering too, but since she didn’t sweat as much as he did, the bacteria never got to her skin. So he’d been both worried and irritated because of his body—and it was only natural that Sina noticed.

But every night, she held him close, putting her arms around him. She whispered to him and told him to be calm, because awakening the sixth sense wasn’t something that could be done with an unsettled mind.

He was thankful. Each moment he spent with her, she seemed to glow with something unexplainable, something he hadn’t seen when he’d first met her. Was it his infatuation that caused it? Something had changed in him, and the scars of his heart were becoming less noticeable. The nightmares had completely stopped, replaced with mornings of refreshment.

And around the third week of spending their time in the wilderness, he felt a spot at the back of his mind that he could move. A slow, black spot, but there, nonetheless. Sina noticed it as soon as he did.

“Congratulations. You’ve felt it,” she told him. “That is the spot of power that your body holds. It’s dark, but you finally gave it form.”

“What do I do now?”

“Move it around and try to stretch it. That way, it will grow.”

He still wasn’t able to do it without Sina’s help, but just feeling it gave him a sense of accomplishment he’d never felt before. This was his first step of becoming superhuman, and once he’d become powerful enough, Sina would have to bear all of his burdens anymore. He wanted to become reliable.

Would she fall in love with him then? He was currently telling her about his experiences with his family and the girl he’d loved since she’d insisted that he give her real-life examples.

“It’s great just to have them near you,” he told her. “Every moment you spend with them is fun, even if you aren’t doing anything. There’s this warmth in your chest that bubbles when you look at them.”

“I see.”

“We liked to read together. I don’t think it’s something a normal couple would do, but we both liked books. I guess love is about sharing hobbies, but that’s only part of it. Things you didn’t like become likable when you do it with them. Does that make sense?”

“Not really. But go on.”

She never seemed to understand, but her focused look when he was speaking made him want to explain to her more—and he’d never been a good speaker. Just by her gestures, she encouraged him, and he found himself changing with each passing day. Small, subtle changes. Feeling confident from speaking, being able to think of the right words more quickly. And becoming muscular.

He first noticed the change that had come to his body in the fifth week when he was taking a bath at a river they’d been camping at. His muscles had become more prominent, and the spots under his eyes had faded, replaced with a healthy, handsome light. He’d always been handsome, but something was different. He looked brighter. And he was happier.

He hadn’t done much exercise besides walking and gathering wood for fires. But like the transformation Crystal had given him, Sina was doing the same—not with technology, but with the supernatural.

“I didn’t do much,” she told him when he asked. “It’s your power filling in the gaps. It reacts to your desires and acts on your subconsciousness, and the more you are able to control it, the more you can bring about the outcome you wish for.”

That’s what she said, but he knew he couldn’t control his power alone just yet. Only with her assistance could he barely put his fingers on his, and she was the one doing most of the moving. Maybe it was her way of giving him confidence, and while he didn’t ask, he appreciated her for being subtle. He didn’t know how such a patient, reliable, kind-hearted girl as her could exist.

His love for her grew every day. He was supposed to be the one teaching her, but he was teaching himself all over again.

Then one day, he saw a glimpse of Sina he’d forgotten about.

“I don’t think it will come to you.”

“Shh, just watch. When I was in the Otherworlds, I was a master at this.”

He was confident in his ability to tame wild animals since his time in Talanim had taught him much about them. Holding a leftover piece of meat in his hand, he approached the wild cat with his eyes narrowed, making small noises to alert the animal of its presence. It didn’t move as he got close, so he was sure that it would let him touch it. Its eyes were a little too cautious, but he could do it.

“Come here,” Elias whispered, holding his hand out. He was around a meter away from the cat when it jumped on his hand, tearing the meat away from his fingers. Pain filled his hand, and he yanked it away as the cat dashed into the woods.

“Ah, that’s too bad. It’s too wild,” he sniffed, examining his hand. The claws had cut deep, and drops of blood were flowing down his fingers. Before he knew it, Sina was holding him, with her hands on each side of his. A tickly, warm sensation flowed over his skin, and when he looked at it after she pulled her hands away, it had been healed with only vague pink lines where the wound had been.

“Thanks.”

“I’ll get it for you.”

Before he knew it, Sina had held out a hand in the direction of the cat, and within seconds, he heard a yowl and a rustling of leaves as the cat levitated towards their direction. It flailed and tried to scratch whatever was holding it—without much success—and when it saw them, began to hiss furiously.

“It doesn’t look happy.”

The cat floated until its head reached Sina’s hand. Instead of replying, she grabbed its head and closed her eyes. The cat desperately struck its claws out at her skin, but suddenly, its body went limp. Elias’s eyes widened.

“Did you kill it?” he asked.

“No.”

When she put the cat down on the ground, it moved again, but instead of running away, sat on the ground and began to purr.

“You can touch it now,” she told him with a smile.

Her abilities never failed to impress him. So that’s how she’s been catching all of the prey. Camly, Elias put his hands on the cat and began to pet it, and it rubbed itself on him sweetly, causing him a jolt of joy.

How long had it been since he’d pet something? More than a year, definitely. The cat’s fur was surprisingly soft, and he enjoyed every second of it.

“Alright, time to go,” he said after he’d had his fill of cuteness.

“Are you done?”

“Yeah. Let’s—”

He froze completely when the cat’s head was ripped off without a sound, its blood flowing out of it like iron dust to a magnet. Sina waved her hand a little, and all of its bodily fluids were pulled out as well as its innards, which she threw away to the side.

She noticed his shock, and her expression went dark.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked worryingly, looking confused.

“You—I mean—you killed the cat.”

“I always do this with prey. We need the food.”

Elias stared at the corpse of what used to be a cat. He knew it wasn’t right for him to feel repulsed after all she’d done, but it had happened out of nowhere. And so easily—without an ounce of hesitation.

He turned his head away. “Sorry. Please don’t read me right now. I can’t control what I’m feeling. Don’t—read me.”

“.........”

Was it fear? If she wanted to, she could easily do the same for him. He knew she wouldn’t, but he’d forgotten that she was a weapon, born to kill. Elias knew how sweet of a girl Sina was. Yet he’d been caught off guard by the sudden butchering, and he’d thought of things he hated himself for thinking. How could he? He was out of his mind. Slapping his cheeks, he turned to Sina, whose eyes were on the ground, her expression blank.

“Sorry, Sina. I—I didn’t mean it. It just—happened.”

She raised her eyes, and her face bloomed, a smile forming on her lips. He was caught off guard when she suddenly hugged him, causing his heart to do a leap—not out of fear this time, but delight.

“I’m glad,” she said softly, burying her face in his chest. It was the first time she’d shown so much emotion. Slowly, he was about to put his arms around her as well when she moved back and turned around.

Then he noticed the beheaded animal floating in the air next to Sina and began to feel slightly nauseous. The cat soon vanished into the bag after being wrapped with a large leaf as Sina’s powers did the work, and they continued to walk on down the forest.

How well did he know Sina? Not well enough, no doubt. She didn’t say much about her life. And from what he’d heard, she didn’t have much to tell.

The time he spent with her now was as real as it could be. So what if she didn’t have a past? He’d give her the memories that she lacked, the enjoyment she’d been devoid of. As difficult as their situation was now, he’d find a way.

Her makers had defined her as a disposable killer, and they could take the biggest fist in the face. He’d treat her with everything he had—which wasn’t much at the moment—but he’d persevere.

Elias frowned.

But what if she learned everything she wanted?

Would she leave him then? Despite his resolve, there was little he had done to be reliable. Once she’d gotten everything she wanted to know about love from him, and once he ran out of things to tell her, would she leave?

Like everyone else?

If they ever reached civilization and found help, and he returned to his old ways of life, would she come with him? Or would she end up with someone else—and he’d be in his virtual reality again, lacking the human presence he never knew he’d wanted. Alone with the SPCs, alone with his thoughts.

When he raised his head, his eyes met Sina’s.

“Are you okay? I won’t do it in front of you again.”

“No—that’s not it.”

She looked worried. He didn’t want to see her so worried.

“It’s nothing,” he told her, pushing her along. “I was just thinking about the future.”

“Do you want to reach the city quickly?” Sina asked.

“Yes. I mean...not really.”

“That makes no sense.”

“I don’t know. Maybe I just want to spend more time with you,” he confessed, looking away.

“I like the sound of that.”

Elias’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Is it hard to believe?”

“I’m not sure. You can see my feelings, but I can’t.”

“I try to be more expressive.”

“I know.”

Sina leaned towards him and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Does that convince you?”

“Huh?” His brain failed to register what had happened. It had been too sudden and too unexpected, like the hug. Sina was being weirder today.

“You said kisses between family members symbolize genuinity,” she told him as a matter of fact, her expression blank. “Was that not enough to show my feelings?”

“I—no, that was plenty. Thanks?”

“You’re welcome.”

They began walking again, and Elias rubbed the spot on his cheek where he’d been kissed. Had he told her that? He’d told her many things, after all. Well, he was glad he had. He wanted to do a jump in the air out of joy, but he restrained himself.

And yet, he still had his doubts. Since she could read him, there was no telling whether or not she acted out of self-interest, or out of genuine affection for him.

Elias groaned internally. The time he’d spent alone had ruined him, caused his mind to speak of things that chipped away at the things he wanted to cherish. It ran nonstop now, spewing doubts and fears, and he’d become an unstable human with a feeble mind, but he wished for change. He wanted to trust with all of his heart again, without a seed of doubt present inside of him. That innocence he’d lost—he wanted to find it again, in this world where it was just the two of them.

Could he ever? With everything he’d experienced?

Swallowing, he tried to focus on the trees and Sina’s back instead of letting his whispers overcloud his mind.

⤙ ◯ ⤚

“It’s a city,” Elias breathed while blocking the sunlight with his hand. “We’re really at a city! Why did it take so long?”

Unlike the other city, there were no walls surrounding this one. Instead, the buildings naturally popped up as nature slowly faded away, though never completely. Like the walled city, this one had its own design of integrating plants into buildings, though much tidier. It was as if the city was being tended to—hopeful signs of finding help.

“Remember to be on your guard,” Sina warned, examining the buildings. “The ones who shot the bombs could still be after us.”

Elias nodded. Taking the scope off of the sniper rifle, he peered through the magnifying glass and looked around for signs of life. So far, nothing.

“There should be people here,” Sina said, continuing on.

“Can you sense them?” Elias asked, putting the scope back onto the weapon. Sina had taught him how to use and maintain it during their journey, and while he hadn’t shot any bullets yet, he was sure he could hit anything within five hundred meters. He swung the rifle in front of him and made sure it was calibrated.

Strange. Had he always been able to move it so easily? The weapon had to be at least ten kilograms, yet his arms didn’t feel much resistance. That couldn’t be right. Had something fallen off? He’d always carried it on his back, so he might have not noticed.

“I can sense something, but none of them are large enough to be people,” Sina told him. “What’s wrong? Did you lose something?”

“I’m not sure. The rifle feels so light.”

“You just noticed? You’ve been like that for quite some time. When was the last time I had to carry you?”

She was right. He hadn’t expected the transformation to happen so quickly, but then again, they’d been training for hours every night. Training as in Sina doing most of the work, but he could pull and push on his ‘power’ a little now. Just barely, but he could do it. He hadn’t known that it would make him so strong.

His body was just as good as it was when Crystal had maintained it. Maybe even better.

Elias looked at his feet. The skin was hard and rough now, but he still wanted shoes badly. It hadn’t been once or twice that he’d stepped on a jagged rock and bled himself. Meanwhile, Sina’s feet were just as smooth as her skin, which he didn’t understand.

“I’ll have to thank you for everything,” he said, putting the rifle back onto his back. “Will you take my wholehearted gratitude and admiration for you?”

“You say that every day,” Sina told him with a light smile. “Come on, let’s go.”

Whether or not she’d learned to love, he didn’t know. But over the past weeks, her expressions had become less forced, until it had become a natural part of her. Now, he could believe it if someone told him that she was a normal girl.

Could someone change so quickly? His old friends had taken months, and Sina had taken weeks.

“Look, Elias! There’s a vending machine!”

Elias cheered. After all, it didn’t matter. She was finding herself in this journey with him, and he was glad for it. Moved, even. He’d never known that he could care about someone so fervently again, but she’d taught it to him. Taught him how to love.

It’s supposed to be the other way around, isn’t it?

After Sina used her telekinesis to wiggle the cans out of the machine, the two of them shared a moment of respite as their throats were quenched with sweet and sour drinks, artificially brewed to make them sigh with glee.

“Life is worth living,” Sina sighed, emptying her can and reaching for another.

“So you’ve learned!” Elias laughed, almost choking on his drink. “Life is great, right?”

“It is. Thanks for everything,” she added softly.

“I—err, thanks to you,” Elias replied, scratching his cheek.

They sat there under the shade for a while, enjoying the summer breeze that blew gently on their skin. Everything felt so vibrant to Elias. The emerald green leaves, the golden rays of the sun, the silver-white buildings and the blue sky that reflected off of their mirrors. Sina’s pitch-black hair that waved ever so slightly when the air touched it.

“You’re making me blush,” Sina said, hiding her face behind her can. “Do you like me that much?”

“Why ask when you know?” Elias shrugged, returning to his drink. He’d given up trying to hide his emotions long ago. The only choice he had left was to advance, and so far, she hadn’t shown any disgust.

“Hmm.”

They shared a quiet moment together as they cooled their heads with their drinks.

“Come to think of it, if there are people here, isn’t this stealing?” Elias commented.

“Good thing there aren’t any people around,” Sina said.

“Another empty city?”

“We’ll have to see.”

After some discussion, they decided to look for information.

They entered a tall building after Sina pulled the doors apart with her hands. Unlike before, Elias was glad that he didn’t have to look out for Shadows around every corner, and Sina would tell him if there was anything else. Fortunately for them, all of the lights were working, and the place seemed to have been in use before they entered. There were plants on the counters, tablets next to computers, chairs that were neatly arranged without a hint of dust on them.

“Where did everyone go?” Elias said, picking up a tablet. It lit up to his great excitement, and he was about to immediately begin browsing when a passcode lock blocked his path. “Sina, can you do hacking stuff?”

“I’ll try,” she told him, plugging her map disk into a computer. He left her alone while she accessed the system and decided to look around for more clues.

It was eerily quiet, more so without shoes. After a few glances around, he knew he was in some kind of hotel meant for luxury stays based on all of the paintings, vases, elevators, and key cards that he found at the back of the counter. At least they were fortunate enough to find somewhere to stay right off the bat, but it was unusual. Why was it so well kept?

He found part of the answer when he stumbled across a section of the building at the back where numerous round white box-like objects were neatly arranged on a high wall. Drones for cleaning, he guessed. Some spaces were empty, meaning that some drones were in use. He’d seen them during his time at the megalopolis.

Come to think of it, was he at the megalopolis? People walking around wasn’t a common thing there too. Maybe he was back.

Was he back? The megalopolis stretched all the way around the continent, so he wouldn’t be surprised if they were at its edge. If he really was back, he could take a train home straight away.

If he had his phone, anyway. He’d need a map to get back. Finding information was crucial for now.

“Did you find anything?” he asked Sina, who shook her head.

“No. Everything is encrypted. This little disk can’t do much.”

She tossed it to the side. “We’ll have to find a new map. I don’t have a good feeling about this place. There’s something here—something similar to the entity that hacked the dogs that came with me, but worse.”

A thought came to Elias. “Workman?”

“Who is Workman?”

“The person who took care of everything that happened back where I used to live,” Elias explained, “or thing. No one really knows, but I’m not sure a human could maintain everything.”

“So he’s like a dictator.”

“You could put it that way. But not really. We had all the freedom we wanted.”

“Past tense?”

“Well, I was suddenly yanked out and placed in the middle of nowhere, so I’m so sure if there’s much freedom in that,” Elias said with a shrug. “I didn’t really like that much. But hey, I met you, didn’t I?”

Elias went to the computers and pressed on some buttons before giving up. “This place feels really similar to the place I came from. But nothing was restricted like this.”

“Is there a possibility that Workman might be an enemy?”

“Workman? No way—”

Before finishing his sentence, he stopped, frowning. One of the first things they learned in Education was that Workman existed for their sake, for the sake of humanity and that it would never act against them in any possible circumstance. But he wasn’t so sure now.

“Actually,” Elias muttered, “I don’t know.”

“You’re resentful.”

“Maybe.” He thought about the time before he’d been transported. The period after which he’d lost Crystal had been unbearable, but he’d been having fun at the beginning. Had he been sent there for a reason? After all, the clone wouldn’t have been defeated without him. But Crystal would have told him about it then.

“More confused,” Elias decided. “I don’t know what the heck is going on.”

“We’ll find out together,” Sina encouraged, holding his hand.

“Yeah,” Elias agreed. Her hand felt warm. “But first, let me introduce you to this hotel!”

“Hotel?”

“It’s a place for you to stay when you’re far away from home,” Elias explained, pulling her towards the counter. “The beds are giant, the bath can fit three people, and the food is cooked to perfection.”

Sina’s eyes lit up with expectation. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Elias fetched two keys from the back and handed one to Sina, who stared at it.

“What is this for?”

“They’re the room keys,” Elias told her. “Let’s go take a look.”

He wanted a good view of the city, so he’d chosen the highest residential floor—which happened to have the best rooms in the hotel as well. Now that he thought about it, an automaton was supposed to give him the cards after he paid. But nothing—only the cleaning drones—had been there. No guidance machines, no robots for children, no transportation boxes for the luggage. There was something more than missing humans.

He decided not to dwell too much on it. Now, he’d rest. He’d worry about the rest of it later.

“That’s your room, and this is mine,” he told Sina after they arrived. “Place the card here to open it. There should be a spot to put the card into, which will turn on the lights.”

Elias opened the door to his room and went inside, placing the card in the card slot. Sina followed right behind him and closed the door behind them.

His eyes widened. “Wait, Sina. Don’t you want your own room?” he asked.

“I can’t stimulate your power when we’re far apart,” she told him, putting the bags down. “If enemies attack, am I supposed to break through the wall?”

“Well—”

“We’ll stay together.”

Elias slowly nodded, unslinging the rifle and leaning it against the wall. The room was huge—it would be better to call it a luxury apartment, so there’d be no problems at all fitting two people.

They’d slept together for a while now. What difference would this make?

“Do you want to take a shower first?” Elias asked, feeling disgusted by his clothes. There were dressing gowns in the closets as well as underwear and simple clothing. He was already starting to feel refreshed.

“The place looks big enough for a group,” Sina noted, her head halfway into the bathroom. “Why don’t we take one together? It’ll be quicker that way.”

Elias turned to look at her. “Huh? Well—”

“We took baths together in the river. Isn’t this the same?”

“We were separated by bushes and boulders back then,” Elias coughed, trying to keep his emotions under control. “I don’t think anything will be hidden in there.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I mind,” he snapped, clearing his throat.

“But you don’t dislike the idea. In fact—”

“I just think a healthy guy and a girl shouldn’t, you know, be naked together,” he uttered, the blood rising to his cheeks.

“Hmm.” She shrugged. “If you say so.”

Had she pouted?

Elias fanned his face while Sina closed the door behind her. He didn’t want to touch the room with all the filth on his body, so he stayed where he was and put his head on the ground.

They weren’t even in a relationship. Somehow, it felt wrong to think about Sina in that way, when he’d blamed Jewel for everything she’d done. He sighed deeply, closing his eyes. Love was a difficult thing.

Sina came out sooner than he’d thought, her hair wet with moisture and her body covered in a gown. It was way too loose, so he quickly approached her and tied the clothing more firmly together. Sina looked at him carefully as he did so.

“Thank you,” she told him.

“I’ll—be taking a shower now,” he said, fetching the spare clothing. He didn’t remember Sina taking any. “Clothes are in the closet if you need them,” he told her, heading inside. He didn’t bother locking the door.

The room was huge, with a giant jacuzzi that overlooked the city. He would have used it straight away if not for his desire to fall into a fluffy bed. Taking a warm shower in which he sighed with pleasure, letting the liquid fall on his body continuously, he scrubbed every section of his body until he was satisfied. After wiping his body with a towel, he pulled on his underwear and donned the soft gown that felt like feathers on his skin.

He was elated. He never knew such simple pleasures in life could make him feel so good.

When he went out, he found Sina sleeping on the bed, her body curled up. She looked like an angel.

Elias stopped staring and climbed into the bed. It was large enough to put around a meter’s distance between them, so he stretched his arms and closed his eyes.

If this wasn’t happiness, he didn’t know what was.

He lay still like a statue when Sina crawled over to him weakly and put her arms around him, eyes closed.

“Sina?” he whispered.

She didn’t reply. After hugging him every night, it must have become a habit. Yawning, Elias closed his eyes as well, and within moments, he fell asleep.

When he woke up, the sun was setting, painting the sky in a deep orange. Sina was still on him, her light head on his stomach and her limbs tossed around like a doll’s. Elias rubbed his eyes and nudged Sina, who groaned weakly and extended her legs and arms towards all four corners of her body.

“I didn’t know you liked it that much,” Elias grinned, patting her on the shoulder. “Even your supernatural powers can’t win against a good bed.”

“I enjoyed it very much,” she admitted with a small smile. Her sleepy eyes weren’t fully awake yet.

“Want to grab dinner?” he suggested, getting up. He felt refreshed, and the uneasiness he’d always felt in the wilderness had peeled away. No longer did he have to worry about insects, water, toiletries, and other nasty things. They were in the city now.

“Sounds like a plan,” Sina agreed.

Elias quickly changed out of his gown into a t-shirt and pants. It didn’t faze him much being seen with only his undergarments on. But when Sina started to take her gown off, he turned his eyes away and waited for her to dress.

He’d seen her in her undergarments plenty of times, but it still felt embarrassing to stare. Much more so if she could read his emotions. It was better to not look at all.

They headed towards the top floor of the building where the cafeteria was, covered by a glass dome. While there weren’t any cooking automatons, he was surprised to see the food machines fully functional and free of cost as well. Choosing cream soup, buttered bread, and tea for himself and barbecued ribs, salad, and a fizzy drink for Sina, they sat down at the nearest table and waited until the food was prepared.

“I didn’t know you liked ribs,” Elias said, looking at the setting sun. The city’s lights were flickering on one by one, filling the incoming darkness with cocktails of cyan, cherry, pink, and green. The walled city had remained dark, but this one was filled with energy.

“I was curious. They looked nothing like the ones we ate.” She looked into his eyes. “I didn’t know you wanted to eat soup. Don’t you like chewing on meat?”

“It’s something I haven’t had in a long time,” Elias answered. He was glad when the machine dinged behind him since he had an excuse to get up and deter Sina from reading him. Though she probably already did.

“I’ll go get them,” he insisted, motioning her to stay. After holding a tray in each hand, he returned to the table and gave Sina her tray while he placed his in front of himself. It was surprisingly of high quality considering that it had come from a machine, but he wasn’t going to complain. He dug in and found the taste exactly as he’d imagined it—no, better.

He held back a tear and swallowed, savoring the taste. The morning when he’d first tasted the meal was so far away now.

“Are you thinking about her?”

He looked at Sina. Her eyes were too kind.

“Not anymore. How are the ribs?”

“They’re great. Would you like to have a bite?”

“Sure. You can have some of mine.”

Sina placed a chunk of meat on her fork and held it to Elias. He tapped on his tray.

“You can place it on my plate.”

“I insist.”

“Fine.”

Leaning forward, he took the bite.

“Aren’t you going to do the same for me?” Sina asked, pulling her fork back. Rolling his eyes, Elias spooned a mouthful of soup and brought it before her, who held her hair behind her ear as she took a sip.

Oh my.

“I can’t believe that makes you happy,” she laughed, licking her lips. “I’m glad I did it.”

“Yeah, okay,” Elias grinned, trying to keep his face from exploding. “Thanks a lot.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

He felt his heart do a leap. How could anyone not come to love her? She was beautiful and kind, witty and affectionate. This moment he was spending with her—having dinner under the fading gold and the gentle approach of deep purple—was like a dream that could fade away at any moment. He was glad that he was alive; he was glad to have been sent away from his home.

They were enjoying their dinner when Sina suddenly stopped and looked around, a subtle frown slowly forming on her face. He noticed it immediately.

“What’s wrong?” Elias asked, a feeling of unease crawling into his throat. Had she detected people?

But her expression loosened, and she gave him a sweet smile.

“It’s nothing. I just felt a lot of rats scurry by.”

“Oh, rats. Nasty.”

“You ate them so well before,” Sina laughed.

“Not anymore. Never again,” Elias stated, crossing his arms. “So—what do you want for dessert?”

They spent the rest of the evening enjoying their time together. After they returned their trays to the box and returned to their room to practice, Elias fell asleep in Sina’s embrace, clueless of what was happening in the city below, deep in the corners and shadows.

She looked at his sleeping face. It hadn’t been particularly striking to her at the beginning, but she’d grown attached to it. What she was learning was infectious, and the feeling was consuming her heart like fire consumed dry leaves in the summer.

“Sleep well, Elias,” Sina breathed, caressing his hair. “I won’t let anything hurt you.”

A battle was going on, but it wasn’t a battle Elias had to be aware of.