Chapter 23

Chapter

Twenty-Three

Britta

M y lungs burned as we ran, the forest thinning around us until we were running past scraggly bushes and clusters of rocks. The temperature dropped with each step toward the mountains, the air growing icier. The cloak provided some protection from the cold, but I couldn’t run and hold it closed, so it whipped around me.

Behind us, the sound of pursuit grew closer—heavy Drexian boots stamping the ground and deep voices booming out orders. I tried to remind myself that the hunters weren’t real, but if the safety protocols weren’t activated, it didn’t matter if they were real or holographic. They were dangerous either way.

Kann's hand was warm around mine as he led us up a rocky path, loose stones skittering beneath our feet. My legs trembled and my stomach was hollow, but I forced myself to keep pace with his longer strides.

The footsteps were getting closer. Too close.

Kann's head swiveled back and forth, searching for something. My heart thundered in my chest. We were exposed here, with nowhere to—

He yanked me sideways, pulling me through a gap behind a massive boulder. We stumbled into darkness, the hidden tunnel barely wide enough for his broad shoulders. We crouched in the shadows, my back pressed against his chest as we waited.

I took shallow breaths, but even those told me we were in a cave of some kind. The air smelled dank and moist, and the soft sound of our breath was magnified.

Kann drew in a sharp breath and held it as shadows passed the entrance to our hiding place. I followed his lead, not exhaling as the hunters wandered close to our hiding spot.

I thought about what Kann had said about our friends trying to get us out. I could almost envision Jess and Morgan coming up with strategies to try while Ariana got frustrated that she couldn’t help.

Finally, the voices and footsteps faded, and I allowed myself to breathe out. Kann did the same, his breath warm against my ear.

I slumped against the rough stone wall, my legs shaking with relief as I slid to a sitting position. I might not be fond of tight spaces, but I could deal with it if it meant a break from running.

Kann moved to the tunnel entrance, reaching for something growing along the edges. When he turned back, his palm was filled with dark-purple berries. He inspected them carefully, and then held them out to me.

They weren’t chidi berries, so I gave him a questioning look. “Are they safe to eat?”

He nodded. “Trust me.”

I didn’t trust easily, but I did trust Kann. I took a few and nodded for him to eat the rest.

I tentatively ate one, flinching at their tartness, but my empty stomach didn't care. We ate in silence, the juice staining our fingers purple in the dim light filtering through the tunnel entrance.

"Did your Drexian training prepare you for this?" I asked, licking the last of the juice from my thumb. "Living off the land, finding hidden caves?"

He shook his head. "The training helped, but honestly? I'm mostly remembering what I included in the design." His expression sobered. "I wanted it to be authentic.”

“I don’t know what the real hunt was like, but this feels like a test to me.”

Kann raked a hand through his hair. “I only hope Zav can find a way to shut it down and get us out.”

I realized with a start that I had barely thought about Zav since we'd been on the run, and when I had it had only been to hope that he was working on fixing the holochamber. The Taori engineer who'd caught my eye seemed like a distant fascination compared to the very real, very present Drexian beside me.

"Thank you," I said quietly. "For keeping us safe so far."

Kann's golden eyes caught what little light reached us, seeming to glow in the darkness. "Always."

That simple word sent a shiver through me that had nothing to do with the mountain's chill, but I pulled the cloak tighter around me nonetheless.

I forced my thoughts back to our situation. This wasn't the time to be daydreaming about my friend. And Kann had always been a friend, even if he was starting to feel like something more.

I was sure it was the stress of the situation that was muddling my feelings. I needed to focus on surviving this simulation, on finding a way out. But as Kann peered out of our hiding spot, checking if the coast was clear, I couldn't help but notice how the dim light played across his features, highlighting the strong line of his jaw, the sexy stubble that always covered his cheeks, his full lips.

I jerked my head away. What was wrong with me? Kann was working hard to keep us safe, and I was fantasizing about running my hands down his scruff and wondering what it would feel like tickling the inside of my thighs.

“Britta!” I scolded myself, not realizing I’d done it out loud until Kann twisted his head to stare at me.

“Are you talking to yourself?” Before I could answer, he gave me a panty-melting smile. “I do it all the time. It’s the only way I can be sure to win an argument.”

I mumbled some sort of thanks that was incomprehensible, but he didn’t seem to care. Okay, so the guy was hot, built, brave, kind, funny, and a bit goofy? Was I being punked? And how had I not noticed all this about him until now?

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