Chapter 11: A Temporary Refuge

Ethan scratched his head in sheer frustration, staring down at Iris's pale, burning face. "What should I do now...?" he muttered.

Steeling his resolve, he carefully hoisted her unconscious body onto his back and began to trudge down the dirt road. Up ahead, he saw a few travelers walking by. Desperate for help, he stepped into their path.

"Excuse me... sir?" Ethan called out, his voice weak.

The man didn't even blink, completely ignoring him as he walked right past. Ethan tried again, stopping two or three more people. "Hey, please! Excuse me, listen to me for a second!"

A woman gave him a passing glance. "Sorry," she mumbled, quickly walking away.

Nobody wanted to get involved. Grinding his teeth against the stinging pain of his own untreated injuries, Ethan pushed forward. Holding Iris securely against his back required every ounce of his remaining strength.

Eventually, the dirt road faded away, and he found himself wandering deep into a dense, dark forest. His body finally hit its absolute limit. His knees gave out, and he collapsed heavily onto the forest floor, tumbling down with Iris still clinging to his back.

Lying in the dirt, Iris began to mumble incoherently in her unconscious state. "Water... water... my throat hurts so bad... Is someone there...?"

Ethan looked over at her, panic gripping his chest. "Where am I supposed to find water out here?"

Suddenly, a figure stepped out from the deep shadows of the trees. It was a girl. She looked to be around their age, maybe just a little bit older, and she was holding a drawn sword right at them.

"Hey! Who are you people, and what are you doing in my village?" she demanded, her voice sharp.

Ethan looked up, his energy completely spent. "Is this dark place... a village of yours?"

The girl lowered her sword slightly, turning the dial on her oil lamp to brighten the area. The light washed over them, revealing the grim reality. She gasped. They were completely covered in blood and bruises, their clothes were ripped to shreds, and Iris was shaking violently on the ground with a severe fever.

"You're just kids..." the girl whispered, her aggressive tone instantly vanishing. "What happened to you? And this girl over here, is she with you?"

"Please... help us," Ethan whispered, his voice cracking. "Yes, she's with me. Her name is Iris. Please give us some water... she has a terrible fever."

The girl immediately sheathed her sword. "Okay, I'm sorry. Come on, let's get her to my house. You come too; it's very close by."

"Thank you so much, lady," Ethan breathed.

He forced his broken body up, lifting Iris onto his back once more, and began to follow the stranger through the trees. The girl glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening. "Are you really lifting her with all those injuries?"

"She's in much worse condition than I am," Ethan replied bluntly.

The girl stayed quiet for a moment before asking, "Are you two travelers?"

Ethan stiffened, his mind racing. He couldn't exactly tell her they were escaped hybrid prisoners who just vaporized the King's future son-in-law. "Y-Yes," he stammered with heavy hesitation. "We... we are."

"Okay," she murmured, deciding not to press further.

A few minutes later, they arrived at a small, cozy wooden house nestled in a clearing. "This is my place. Come inside," she said, opening the door.

Ethan carried Iris across the threshold. The house was small, simple, and warm. Looking around, Ethan asked quietly, "Do you live here all by yourself?"

"Yes," the girl replied, setting her lamp on a table. "My parents died when I was only three years old. I've been surviving on my own ever since."

Ethan paused, staring at her. "Aren't you scared? Being all alone?"

A sad, cynical smile touched her lips. "In this world, you do whatever you have to do to survive. Being lonely is just a normal thing now. Nobody notices, and nobody cares." She shook herself out of the memory. "Oh, sorry, I'm keeping you waiting. Follow me."

She opened the door to a small bedroom illuminated by a warm, yellow light. Pointing to a small, neat bed in the corner, she said, "Lay her down right there."

Ethan carefully placed Iris onto the mattress and sat down on the edge of the bed right next to her. The girl poured a fresh glass of water from a pitcher on the bedside table and handed it to Ethan. "Here."

Ethan took it and drank it down in a few massive gulps, his throat burning from dehydration. Handing the empty glass back, he gasped, "Thank you... Please, can you give me one for her too?"

The girl poured another glass and handed it over. Ethan took it gently, leaning over to lightly shake Iris's shoulder. "Iris... open your eyes. Come on, you need to drink some water."

Iris thrashed weakly against the pillows, lost in a nightmare. "Please leave... Mom... please, Mom, don't go..."

The girl stared at Iris, her brow furrowing. "Hey... what is she talking about?"

Ethan instantly tried to cover it up, his heart skipping a beat. "Nothing! She's... she's just missing her mom. She passed away recently."

"Oh..." The girl's expression softened with deep sympathy. "I understand."

"Iris, open your mouth a little," Ethan urged gently. Iris parted her lips slightly, and Ethan carefully tipped the glass, helping her drink the water bit by bit.

Watching them closely, the girl smiled. "You're so caring. Is she your sister?"

Ethan's eyes widened in absolute shock. His hand violently slipped, and the glass tumbled right out of his grip, crashing loudly onto the wooden floor. "What?!" he yelled.

Staring at the spilled water, Ethan frantically bent down to pick up the glass, his face burning hot. "Oh! Sorry, sorry! My mistake!" He scrambled back onto the bed, stammering over his words. "I mean... she's not... she's definitely not my sister!"

The girl raised an eyebrow, a teasing smirk playing on her lips. "Oh? Then... is she your lover?"

Ethan instantly let out a loud, choked cough, his face exploding into a bright crimson blush. "Eh—what?! Mmm... no! She's not that either!"

The girl arched her eyebrows even higher, clearly enjoying his panic. "Huh. If you say so." She crossed her arms, looking down at the two of them. "But why else would a girl go this far, getting this badly injured, just to run away into the deep woods with a guy? Even if you're just friends."

"I told you, we're just kids... and we're friends," Ethan insisted, looking away to hide his burning cheeks.

"Alright, alright," the girl giggled.

Ethan cleared his throat, trying desperately to change the subject. "You haven't told me your name yet, by the way."

"Oh, right! Sorry," she smiled. "My name is Sofia."

"I'm Ethan," he replied, pointing to the bed. "And this girl is Iris."

"Nice names," Sofia said kindly. "Alright, I'll go make some food for you both. I'll also bring some medicinal herbs and clean bandages so you can treat those wounds."

Ethan nodded gratefully. "Thank you. That would be great."

Sofia turned and left the bedroom, leaving Ethan alone in the quiet light. As soon as the door closed, the unconscious Iris reached out, her small, trembling hand blindly searching the blanket until she tightly gripped Ethan's hand.

"Don't go..." she whispered faintly.

Ethan froze. "What? What are you saying, Iris?"

"Your hands..." she murmured, her breathing slowing down as she held onto him. "They're so warm..."

Ethan let out a long, shaky breath, trying to calm his racing heart. She's just out of her senses from the fever, he told himself. She doesn't know what she's saying.

A few minutes later, Sofia re-entered the room carrying a bundle of supplies. "Here it is. Use this to treat yourself and Iris. I'll be back as soon as the food is ready." She set the herbs down and walked back to the kitchen.

Ethan picked up the clean cloth and bandages, gently lifting Iris's injured hand. Looking at the raw cuts left behind by Cecelia's torture tools, his chest tightened. "Your hands are a total mess, Iris..."

As if hearing his voice, Iris's eyelids fluttered open. The glowing red was gone, replaced by her natural, tired eyes. "Ethan... It's you?"

"Yes, it's me," he said softly, beginning to wrap the bandage around her fingers. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a mess... everything hurts," she whispered, her voice laced with sudden, cold steel. "Ethan... I swear, I will never let them live in peace."

"We will take our revenge," Ethan promised fiercely, tying the bandage tight. "Even if it takes us years."

"Yes..." Iris agreed. She blinked, finally looking around the unfamiliar wooden room. "Where are we?"

"We are in—"

Before Ethan could finish his sentence, the front door of the house was violently kicked open. The heavy thud of boots echoed right outside the bedroom, and a menacing stranger stormed into the room, a cruel smirk plastered across his face.

He stared directly at the two fugitives on the bed. "Hey... look what we have here. Found you both, Ethan and Iris. Time to take you right back to Madam Cecelia."

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[Chapter Ended - To Be Continued]