A Bond in the Dark

Chapter Twelve

Chapter 12

(Hope)

Hope didn't trust Huan— but she would rather fight another river monster in her underwear than admit it.

She had wanted to trust him; it would have been nice to have someone else to talk to, but something felt... off.

When he had first come stumbling out of the woods, it was hard not to feel sympathy for him. He had been bleeding profusely from a gash across his chest, seemingly steps from death's door. But when she had healed him, she noticed something strange— his skin was hot, burning hot.

It was different from the warmth she felt from Clarke— this was like touching a hot pan, her instinct was to pull away rather than move closer.

She tried to dismiss it as being tied to his injuries somehow, but she noticed it again later when she had touched his arm, feigning amusement at a joke at Clarke's expense.

She wasn't an idiot, she knew Clarke and Huan were having some sort of pissing match, which was the absolute last thing she wanted to get involved with. She had spent enough time around temperamental men to last a lifetime.

It was infuriating, really. Before Huan had showed up, she could have sworn Clarke was finally being real with her. He had been genuine, compassionate.

For a moment, when he had helped her with her necklace, she could have sworn she felt something—emotions that weren't hers.

It was as if... She chased the unfinished thought from her mind.

It didn't matter.

That man had just been a mirage, replaced by the selfish and sarcastic individual she had come to know all too well.

She turned to look at Huan, who was walking beside her on the narrow trail. He was tall, athletic, and he carried himself with an undeniable air of confidence—definitely someone Lizzie would find sexy.

He turned to meet her gaze, flashing a smile of perfectly white teeth. "So, Hope, how did you end up here?" he asked, turning his full attention to her.

"That's a bit of a long story," she answered carefully. She turned to see if Clarke was in earshot, but he remained several paces behind them.

"We've got time. Plus, I'd love to learn more about you," he pressed, bumping his shoulder playfully into hers.

"Well, I guess I didn't have much of a choice..." she said. It was true— if she was going to destroy Malivore, coming here was the only way.

"Did that goon drag you here?" he asked, shooting Clarke a glare over his shoulder.

Suddenly, she felt a flash of anger, but the feeling was not her own. She turned to see Agent Clarke much closer than he was a few moments ago.

"Quite the opposite," Clarke said bitterly. "But that doesn't exactly paint our dear Hope in the best light."

For some reason, his words stung. When she turned to meet his gaze, she could have sworn she saw him wince momentarily.

"Is that so?" Huan asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Good for you, Hope."

She ignored the odd pang of guilt in her chest.

"How much longer until we reach the rock formations?" she asked, changing the subject. "We were using the forest as cover, but recently got a bit turned around."