The sun had dipped low by the ti Nova returned to the village. The light cast long shadows across the worn streets, painting everything in a tired orange hue.
Dust rose with every step he took, but the mont Anna spotted him, her face brightened.
"There you are! Took you long enough."
She called, jogging toward him with an eager grin.
Nova raised an eyebrow.
"You missed that much?"
"I just wanted to make sure you weren’t dead. Dinner’s almost ready."
She said, but the way her eyes lingered on him betrayed the truth.
They walked together toward the food stalls, where a line of villagers was slowly gathering for the evening al.
The scent of boiled grains and roasted vegetables filled the air. Despite the poverty on Callex, the people found small comforts—communal als being one of them.
When they reached the table where their food was being served, the worker in charge gave them a once-over before smirking.
"Well, look at you two. What a lovely couple."
Anna went bright red.
"W–We’re not a couple!"
The worker just chuckled and handed them their bowls.
"Sure, sure. And I’m not the cook. Trust , girl, I’ve been around long enough to spot the look. If you don’t tell him how you feel soon, soone else might. There’s plenty of others eyeing him already."
Anna blinked, stunned.
"W-What do you an?"
The cook nodded toward the crowd, and for the first ti, Anna looked around—really looked.
Several young won were glancing Nova’s way. So smiled. So giggled and quickly looked away when caught. One even gave a little wave.
Anna’s heart twisted, a small fla of jealousy sparking inside her chest. She leaned closer to Nova and said, half-joking.
"Guess you’re popular."
Nova didn’t respond.
He didn’t even react.
That silence made Anna’s stomach twist worse than any words could have.
They sat down together at a bench in the corner of the courtyard, quietly eating their al.
The chatter around them buzzed on, but Anna barely touched her food. Her eyes flicked to Nova every now and then, trying to read his expression—but as always, it was unreadable.
After a while, she broke the silence.
"So... what’s the plan, Nova? How long are we staying here?"
Nova didn’t look up from his bowl.
"Not long."
Anna frowned.
"That’s not really an answer."
He glanced at her then, calm and certain.
"The ones who want dead have started to make their move."
Her brows furrowed.
"Already?"
"They’ve been moving from the mont I stepped into the temple. And now that I’ve survived the ambush, they’ll get desperate."
Anna gripped her spoon tightly.
"And the core of reason?"
"It’ll show its true face soon enough. All the pieces are in motion now."
A long silence followed.
Anna stirred her food, her appetite gone.
"I hope you’re right. I don’t like it here."
She murmured.
Nova looked at her.
"Because of the stares?"
She didn’t deny it.
"I don’t care about them."
He said flatly.
Anna blinked.
"You don’t?"
"I didn’t co here to be admired. I ca to finish sothing. Once that’s done, we leave."
The certainty in his voice helped, but only a little. She stared into her bowl and forced a smile.
"Just don’t get snatched away before then."
Nova looked at her again, but this ti... he didn’t say a word.
And that silence spoke louder than anything else.
The night settled softly over Callex, cloaking the poor little town in quiet shadows.
Anna lay in the makeshift bed, tossing and turning on the thin mattress that barely passed for comfort. The sheets itched, the room was too warm, and her mind wouldn’t stop turning.
With a sigh, she sat up.
She glanced toward Nova’s bed. He was still asleep, one arm behind his head, the other resting near the edge of the mattress.
In sleep, his usual sharpness dulled, replaced by sothing softer. Peaceful. Human.
Anna stepped closer before she even realized it.
His hair, unkempt from the day’s hunt, fell slightly over his brow.
His expression was serene—so unlike the usual blunt intensity that marked every word, every decision. Sothing about seeing him like this twisted at her chest.
"This is so unfair. You’re not even doing anything and you’re seducing people."
She muttered to herself.
She knelt beside him and whispered with a pout.
"Stop being so stupidly good-looking, will you? It’s not good for my heart."
Correct content is on
Her voice was quiet, lost in the silence of the room. She reached a hand out but stopped herself just short of brushing his hair aside.
"Ugh. What are you even doing to ?"
She whispered.
She stood up quickly, rubbing her arms and frowning at herself.
"Get a grip, Anna. You’ve seen what he’s like. He’s reckless. Dangerous. He doesn’t open up. And he’s got enough on his plate already."
But even as she listed every reason why she shouldn’t feel the way she did, her heart didn’t listen.
Her feet carried her to the door, and she slipped outside into the dim corridor. She needed air. A walk. Sothing to clear her head.
The hallway was silent save for the low creaks of the old structure settling. She took a few steps down the passageway before she froze. Sothing—or soone—moved at the far end.
Her body reacted before her brain did. She ducked into a shadowed corridor and leaned out just slightly, just enough to see what was happening.
A young woman was making her way down the hall. Her steps were hesitant, her eyes flicking left and right as if checking for anyone watching.
In her hands, she held a small bottle, and she kept muttering to herself.
"Be brave... Just a one-ti chance... Don’t ss this up..."
Anna’s brows furrowed. She watched the woman continue toward Nova’s room, her breath catching with unease.
The bottle.
The way the girl looked around.
The muttering.
Anna’s stomach sank.
She ducked back and pressed herself flat against the wall, heart pounding. She knew what this looked like. And it wasn’t good.
Whoever this girl was, she wasn’t just planning to leave Nova flowers and a love note.
No... that bottle ant sothing. And judging by her determined nerves and hushed mantras, this wasn’t innocent.
Anna clenched her fists, biting her lip.
She’d been teasing herself monts ago, trying to convince herself to let Nova go. That he wasn’t hers. That she didn’t care if soone else had eyes for him.
But now, watching soone sneak toward him like this—
No. She did care.
She cared enough that her pulse wouldn’t settle and her breath caught in her throat.
And if this woman tried to do anything... she wasn’t going to let it slide.
Not tonight.
The girl was just a few steps from the door when Anna stepped out from the shadows.
"Hey."
She called, her voice sharp enough to stop the girl in her tracks.
The girl flinched, clutching the small bottle tighter.
"What exactly do you think you’re doing?"
Anna asked, walking toward her slowly.
The girl stamred, trying to hide the bottle behind her back.
"I—I was just—"
Anna’s eyes narrowed.
"Turn around. Whatever you were planning, it ends now."
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