ia M

ing to stay awake. The blood soaked through my clothes, my skin sticky with it. My hear

Kia. Don't c

g too much, too fast. My vision blurred, my body heavy. The pain was

this. Not without knowing what happened t

t. I could barely lift my head, but I heard footsteps,slow, deli

e come back to fini

trying to pull away, but I couldn't move. My body felt like stone, un

move. You'll m

he was tall, his movements fluid as he opened a medical kit and began working with practised precision.

?" I whispered, my

t chuckle, dark and cynical. "Not who you expect

limbs were too heavy, and my thoughts were too jumbled to make sense of anything. All I

anaged to cro

ht he might just leave me to die here. But then I felt his hands on me aga

id, his voice soft but intense. "But

in and out. My mind was foggy, like I was drowning in a sea of pain and confus

red, almost to myself, though t

ing something. His hand lingered on my arm for a second longer than nec

escape, but my body was in no condition to fight. I co

my voice barely

g through the haze of my thoughts. "Hades is g

eason I was in this mess in the first place. He was the

elping me, but I knew one thing: if he was tel

?" he asked, h

he floor. His hand shot out, catching me before I could fall. His grip was stea

, more firmly this time. "Y

snapped, my voice shaking.

t, like this wasn't the first time he'd carried someone out of danger. I couldn't help but

g?" I asked again,

" he said, his tone laced

him, like he was preparing for something. My mind raced, trying to make sense o

t anymore. All I knew was

was thick, oppressive, broken only by the sound of our footsteps echoing off th

reached the back

teps is heavy and deliberate, a

art s

whispered, panic r

nto the shadows, his body pressing against mine, blocki

wouldn't find us, praying tha

steps grew l

commanding, cutting through the si

could almost feel his presence, like a shado

ght he was going to fight. But then, to my surpris

uggling to process what he was

his eyes dark and unreadable. "Y

s and into the open space of the alley. My legs were still weak

oul

h of metal, but I didn't dare turn around. I kept running, my

now what his game was. But he had saved me

felt a gnawing fear in my gut

d a corner, my

, broad-shouldered. Hades. And beside him, s

fat

beat. What was my