Per hurried down the hallway toward Ark, who had just stepped out of the room. Panic filled her voice as she spoke. "She's not in her room. I can't find her, Ark."
Ark calmly pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.
Per frowned at his composure, confused at first, then realization struck her. "She's in there?"
Ark gave a small nod.
"What is she doing in Zach's room?" Per asked, already moving toward the door.
She pushed it open, ready to storm inside, but froze the moment she saw them.
Clair and Zach were asleep on the bed, wrapped tightly in each other's arms. The tension in their faces had vanished, replaced by a rare kind of peace. Per's chest tightened with worry at the thought of Cerro finding them like this, yet she couldn't bring herself to wake them and shatter the quiet comfort they had found in each other.
Slowly, she stepped back out of the room and closed the door as gently as possible.
Then she turned to Ark. "Don't tell Cerro they're sleeping together," she said firmly.
"I thought he wasn't coming back," Ark replied coldly.
"Of course he'll come back," Per answered without hesitation. "He always does."
Ark let out a quiet sigh as the two of them made their way toward the hall. The moment they arrived, they found Filbur standing near the entrance, silently observing his Fallen companions as they worked to rebuild the ruined hall from the ground up.
"How is it, Fil?" Per asked as they approached him.
"It'll take a couple of weeks to finish," Filbur replied. "That's already the fastest they can manage."
"What did you tell them?" Ark asked, his eyes following the Fallen as they hauled debris and repaired the shattered structure.
"Fire," Filbur answered simply.
Ark raised a brow. "Isn't that explanation a little too convenient for a disaster like this?"
Filbur gave a faint shrug. "Don't worry about it. These comrades know better than to question me further."
A small smirk tugged at Ark's lips.
****《•》****
Zach found Per and Ark in the kitchen while searching for a glass of water. The two were occupied with preparing breakfast, the quiet clatter of utensils filling the room.
"Hey, hungry? We're almost finished," Per said, her hands moving briskly over the counter.
"Thanks," Zach murmured. He reached for a glass and poured himself water from the pitcher.
"How's Clair?" Ark asked, wiping the plates dry with a cloth.
A trace of embarrassment crossed Zach's face. "We had a pretty intense conversation last night. I think I frightened her." He paused, lowering his gaze to the water in his hand. "She blamed herself for everything, kept saying all these awful things about herself, and I... snapped." He took a quiet sip.
YOU ARE READING
Divine & Wicked: The Strayed Memories (Book2)
Fantasy(Fantasy•Romance) COMPLETED Zach awoke a few days after his surgery, his mind foggy and his heart empty, as though his life had been reset. He moved through what he believed was his normal routine, unaware that fragments of a forgotten past were slo...
