r boot snapped a dry twig, the sharp crack e

he memories of his past life-the endless betrayals, the knives in his back from people who smiled a

A blinding, tearing pain ripped through his damaged core. His muscl

a second, her index finger tapping lightly against he

pear behind a thick cl

on's deep-seated paranoia. His throat was raw,

ai

nstantly wiped it away, replacing it with a look of deep

? I stopped you from bleeding

s chest. "Take me with you. Get me out of this fore

in's empty promise meant nothing to her.

ing his broken body. She walked back to him and st

ldly. "I'll take you. But you are dead we

ed, his jaw ticking, before he final

ched, the mechanical voic

d. Daily investment task

ckled, and he stumbled forward, his h

moved, he caught the scent of her hair-a faint mix of crushed herbs and fresh blood. The

t over her shoulders, wrapping her arm around his waist to support him.

ragged. His skin was burning with fever, a

leaned him against the rough

, secretly accessing her system inventory, and pulle

cork and shoved the

her tone harsh. "I'm n

king hands and brought it to his lips. He drank greedi

flashed gold in

ater' complete. Reward: 5

ined a mask of stone. She snatched the flask back

her sharp profile. The contradiction was driving him crazy. He

ed, his voice low and laced with he

noid villain. If she claimed she was jus

This forest is crawling with beasts. If something jumps out o

e tension in his should

ted world. He actually felt a wave of relief wash over him. He found this cold, calculating woman

minutes before Brand

izon, casting long, bloody shadows through

ked-dirt road. In the distance, the warm, flickeri

water

m against her thigh. That city was a goldmine, the perfect place t