Chapter 167: Trapped

Blanche spent the next two days avoiding Aaron.

She had taken refuge behind a rather disgraceful excuse—so disgraceful, in fact, that she would have blushed over it... if it hadn't spared her from blushing for so many other reasons.

It had to be said that the atmosphere at the barracks had become particularly oppressive.

Glen, worried sick about Nicky, was in a terrible mood.

Normally, he carried himself with an almost unshakable gentleness, but now he answered in monosyllables, his features perpetually tense.

Every time a door opened or a security camera crackled to life, his gaze snapped toward it immediately, only for disappointment to settle back in moments later. He tried to keep busy by checking equipment, rereading reports, or reorganizing things that were already perfectly in order, but it was painfully obvious that his mind was elsewhere.

Derek, meanwhile, prowled like a caged lion.

The storm kept him from going outside, and that fact alone was enough to drive him mad. Unable to sit still for more than two minutes, he stalked the barracks' corridors with long strides, moving from one window to another to stare at an outside world that had vanished beneath the storm before turning around and doing it all over again. More than once, he'd even tried to convince Aaron that he could brave the blizzard—only to be firmly shut down. The more Aaron told him to wait, the more restless he became.

As for Argy...

He was by far the hardest to watch.

Consumed with worry for his best friend, his spirits had sunk to their lowest point. Usually, he always had a joke ready or a sarcastic remark to lighten the mood, but today he had barely spoken a word.

He would sit motionless for long stretches, his gaze drifting into empty space.

Then he'd suddenly look up at the slightest sound, hoping each time that it would bring good news.

It never did.

The storm had trapped everyone inside an unbearable waiting game.

And with every hour that passed without the slightest sign of life...

Anxiety seeped deeper into every corner of the barracks, creeping between them like the cold pressing against the windows.

So when his beloved mom had practically "invited herself" to remain barricaded in his bedroom, he hadn't hesitated for a second to make the most of it.

Blanche knew, however, that she couldn't avoid her husband forever.

And it was precisely because she so desperately wanted to stay close to him that she kept running away.

She wouldn't be able to resist much longer.

He already had her heart—even if he didn't know it yet.

It wouldn't be long before he claimed the rest of her as well.

Aaron, for his part, was mostly frustrated...

And furious.

And worried.

Had he ruined everything by trying to rush things with Snow?

He had nearly lost her once again.

And what if Vecz had succeeded...

In frightening her away?

Fortunately, on the morning of the third day, something finally changed.

The roar of the wind had weakened during the night.

The violent gusts that had shaken the walls for hours gradually faded into an almost surreal silence.

Then a new sound emerged.

A gentle patter.

Steady.

The first snowflakes turned into droplets of water that struck the windows with a soothing rhythm. Slowly, the snow gave way to a cold, persistent rain that streamed from the rooftops, carrying away the most unstable drifts. Icicles began to drip, snowbanks collapsed under their own weight, and although the air remained bitterly cold, it suddenly felt easier to breathe.

For the first time since the storm had begun, everyone dared to believe that the worst was over.

As if to confirm that hope, Sapphire arrived at the barracks later that morning.

His mere presence seemed to change the atmosphere.

He greeted everyone, exchanged a few words here and there, taking the time to make sure no one had been injured or worn down too badly by the three days of confinement. His usual calm was almost contagious. He didn't make grand speeches or try to downplay the situation, but simply being there—available, attentive—gradually eased the tension from everyone's faces.

Even Derek stopped pacing for a while.

Argy managed his first genuine smile in days.

And Glen finally seemed to release some of the tension that had been knotting his shoulders.

For a few hours, the barracks regained something resembling normal life.

Conversations cautiously resumed.

A few laughs returned.

Tea once again became an excuse to gather around the large table instead of remaining alone with their thoughts.

Then, early that afternoon, the rain eased as well.

The silence that followed was almost deafening.

The captain gazed out the window for a long moment before folding his arms.

"That's enough."

Every head turned toward him.

His eyes were already sweeping across the room with the quiet determination they all knew so well.

"It's time to get our noses back outside."

No one objected.

They all knew this outing was inevitable.

Now they had to discover what the storm had left behind.

Had the village survived?

Were all the villagers safe?

Questions no one could answer while they remained indoors.

In a silence that had once again grown solemn, everyone went to retrieve their gear.

The respite was over.

It was time to assess the damage.

Thanks to the rain, the vast plain below had become an enormous sea of mud, upon which rested the foundations of a wooden village.

After three days trapped indoors and a hastily eaten lunch, everyone joined the expedition—

Even Derek.

The moment they reached the waterfront, the villagers' devastated expressions were impossible to miss.

Some, however, looked visibly relieved to see them.

After all, the rescue team had become part of the landscape. They had helped repel the orcs, and Argy remained the finest healer for miles around.

The young man was quickly called upon to treat frostbite and cold burns, and a crowd immediately gathered around him.

"D, Glen, he's yours," Aaron ordered.

The two men nodded silently and headed over.

The warrior's face was grim, clearly ready for a confrontation.

Thanks to his exceptional hearing, Aaron had already gathered all the information he needed.

Sapphire shot him a worried glance before falling into step behind him and Blanche with long, purposeful strides.

The leader of their unlikely little group wasted no time.

He walked straight into the village chief's large house.

Blanche exchanged an uncertain glance with Sapphire before following him inside.