The refuge felt smaller than ever. Every room was bursting with tension, not just from the imminent threat of Richard but from the invisible currents connecting and separating all of us. While Clara and Marcelo debated the final plan, Nina leaned against the wall, watching with an almost defiant smile. Her gaze flicked between Clara and me, as if waiting for something—or someone—to explode.
I knew I shouldn’t let Nina get to me. Clara had been clear about her feelings for me, but it was impossible to ignore the familiarity between them. The way Nina spoke to her, the way she managed to draw brief smiles even in tense moments, made me feel like an outsider.
“We could move east and split their forces,” Marcelo suggested, pointing at the map. “That should buy us enough time to evacuate the refuge.”
“That won’t work,” Clara shot back immediately. “The terrain is too exposed. We’d be easy targets.”
“Do you have a better idea?” Nina challenged, raising an eyebrow. “Or are we all just here to follow your orders blindly?”
Her tone irritated me, and I opened my mouth to respond, but Clara beat me to it.
“If you want to debate leadership, maybe you should start by bringing something useful to the table instead of sarcastic remarks,” Clara snapped, her voice cold. Nina’s shock was visible, but she quickly recovered, crossing her arms with a sly grin.
“Relax, Clara. I’m just trying to help.”
Clara ignored Nina’s response, but I couldn’t shake the tension between them. It felt like something unresolved lingered there, something Clara wasn’t telling me.
Later, while Clara was in the bedroom reorganizing supplies, I walked in, determined to confront her. She glanced at me briefly but continued what she was doing.
“Aren’t you even going to try explaining what’s going on between you and Nina?” I asked, crossing my arms.
Clara stopped, sighing before turning to face me. “There’s nothing to explain, Bela.”
“Don’t lie to me,” I shot back, my voice louder than I intended. “I see the way she looks at you. The way she provokes you. There’s something there, and I need to know what it is.”
Clara stepped closer, her expression firm. “Nina and I have a past. But that’s all it is—the past. She means nothing to me now.”
“Then why does it feel like you’re hiding something?” I asked, my voice breaking. “If it’s so insignificant, why can’t you just tell me the truth?”
Clara ran a hand through her hair, visibly frustrated. “Because it’s not simple, Bela. None of this is.”
“I deserve to know,” I insisted, my heart pounding.
Clara hesitated, as if carefully choosing her words. “I trust you, Bela. More than I trust myself. But if you’re asking me to confess something that’s already buried, I can’t do that. I won’t let the past consume us.”
“Maybe it already is,” I murmured, my voice low, but Clara heard. She cupped my face with her hands, forcing me to look at her.
“I chose you,” she said firmly, each word heavy with emotion. “And I will keep choosing you, every single day. But if you can’t believe that, it doesn’t matter what I say.”
Our moment was interrupted by Evelyn’s voice calling from the other side of the door. “They’re close. We need to move now.”
Clara dropped her hands, her expression hardening again. Without another word, she left the room, leaving me alone with my doubts and fear.
When we gathered at the entrance of the refuge, the group was already in position. Marcelo and Nina were set to lead the initial attack, while Clara and I stayed back to guard the rear. Clara gave clear instructions, her voice steady and commanding, but I knew that deep down, she was just as anxious as I was.
“Stay with me,” she said, looking directly at me. “No matter what happens, stay close.”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat.
The first shots echoed through the forest like thunder. Richard hadn’t sent a small group—there were many, each armed and well-prepared. Clara and I moved as one, covering each other as we tried to hold our position.
But it didn’t take long for things to spiral out of control.
In the chaos, an explosion separated us. Clara shouted my name, but the sound was drowned out by the roar of gunfire and the smoke that enveloped the area. I found myself alone, hiding behind a tree, desperately trying to locate her.
“Are you okay?” Nina’s voice came from behind me, and I turned, relieved but also irritated.
“Where’s Clara?” I demanded, my tone urgent.
“She’s handling another group,” Nina replied. “Right now, we need to get out of here before they surround us.”
“I’m not going anywhere without her,” I stated, my determination clear.
Nina sighed but didn’t argue. “Then let’s find her.”
As Nina and I moved through the forest, we heard voices ahead. The sound of Clara shouting made me freeze in place. When we reached a clearing, we saw Clara surrounded by three men. Even injured, she refused to back down, fighting with a strength that took my breath away.
“Stay here,” Nina ordered, moving quickly to help her.
I ignored her and rushed forward, my heart pounding wildly. Clara saw me for a brief second, surprise and relief flashing across her face, but it was enough for one of the men to notice me.
And then everything happened at once. Nina took one down, Clara incapacitated another, but the third turned his gun toward me.
Time seemed to slow as the barrel of the gun aimed in my direction. Before I could react, Clara threw herself in front of me, the deafening crack of the shot ringing out as she fell.
“Clara!” I screamed, running to her as she collapsed to the ground.
Her eyes met mine, and even as her hand pressed against the wound on her side, she managed a faint smile.
“I told you I’d stay with you,” she whispered before her eyes fluttered closed.