Empty Night.Air filled her lungs too fast, too shallow as she blinked up at him, still hovering above her, arms locked, chest heaving. Trembling with the effort, loose strands of crimson hair clung to the sweat along his face. And for a moment, he looked just as obliterated as she felt. Then he let out a raw, broken exhale and dropped beside her, rolling onto his back, chest rising fast.
What the hell just happened? Her mouth opened and closed on empty words.
The world felt distant as a cool night breeze licked across damp skin, her pulse drumming through every inch of her. Her pants remained tangled halfway down her thighs, but she couldn’t bring herself to move just yet.
A quiet sound—half a chuckle, half a sigh—drew her gaze left.
She tugged her pants back up, fingers tight with aftershock, and turned to find him lying on his side, head propped in one hand. A faint smile played at his lips, and his eyesmet hers for a beat—soft, unreadable, maybe even tender. Then he looked away, leaning in without a word to press a light, almost questioning kiss to her forehead.
But before the smile could form on her lips, his mask was back in place, and the moment vanished with it.
Unsure how to process the whirlwind of shit coursing through her, Rynna pushed herself upright, settling into a cross-legged position. He mirrored her, sitting up with ease as her heartbeat finally steadied.
“So... uhh...” he began, scratching the back of his head.
“I don’t know about you, but my mind is officially cleared,” she said, trying not to grin too hard. “Thanks for that.”
“Agreed. I suddenly feel ready to take on anything.” The sound of his voice sent a pleasant shiver down her spine.
She rolled her eyes. “Well, I hope tomorrow is everything you want it to be.”
“You too, mysterious hilltop woman,” he replied, pressing his palms to his thighs as he rose smoothly to his feet. He glanced toward the horizon, where the first hints of dawn began to color the sky. “Looks like we’ll both find out soon enough what the day has in store.”
Rynna followed his gaze, watching the sky brighten.
Was it just a coincidence? Or a sign of something brightening in her future.
She stood, brushing the dirt from her clothes and hair, and asked, “Why do you wear the mask, anyway? It’s not like your hair doesn’t already make you recognizable.”
He gave her a sideways glance, then shrugged. “People don’t like the teeth.”
And with that, he vanished in a classic hollow-born exit, leaving her standing alone to face the rising sun.
“Right.” She shook her head. “People suck.”
Apparently, this world wasn’t all that different from any other.
“Well, I like the teeth.” She smiled to herself and began the long walk back to the village, wondering if she had time for a quick shower before heading to the longhouse for unit assignments.
She should have been annoyed—after all, they’d clearly spent so much time carefully selecting the members of each four-man team, only to throw her onto this one at the last minute.
We weren’t sure where to put you, Rynna, and the Ember Warden couldn’t make a decision before this morning. Guide Brian’s explanation echoed hollowly in her mind.
“This is the best unit ever!” Bran’s excited voice snapped her from her thoughts. She turned to see him practically tripping over himself, eyes wide with enthusiasm as he looked at the other girl assigned to their team. “Right, Elara?”
Rynna’s mouth tugged into a grin as Elara gave a half-hearted nod, barely paying attention, her gaze fixed on the final member of their team. Taren, a small and moody boy, was another orphan like Bran. But that was the only similarity between them. Where Bran was loud and chaotic, Taren was serious and quiet—kept on only because his talent was undeniable, even after his parents’ betrayal of the Reach.
She frowned, trying to remember what exactly his parents were supposed to have done.
“Right, Rynna?!” Bran’s voice cut through again, clearly needing someone, anyone, to acknowledge him.
“Yeah, dude. Best unit ever.” She smiled, reaching over to give him a fist bump.
“Well, except for Taren, anyway,” Bran added in a loud whisper, leaning closer as if sharing a great secret. “He’s definitely going to drag us all down. I’ll probably have to save him on every assignment.”
Taren, having overheard, simply turned to stare out the window, ignoring Bran’s dramatic commentary.
“Definitely the weakest link,” Bran muttered under, glaring at the boy.
