A Dangerous Decision

**Angro's POV**

I didn’t expect to see Assu show up at my house. His silhouette appeared on the horizon as the sun still hung high over Zuwua, and immediately, I knew something wasn’t right. Assu never just appeared like this, out of nowhere. I prepared for the worst.

“Angro,” he called from the entrance. His voice trembled slightly, as if the words were heavier than he could bear. “I need to talk to you.”

I gestured for him to come in, though my patience was already thin. Something in his eyes put me on edge. “What happened?” I asked, though I already feared the answer.

“It’s Shaira.”

Her name was enough to make my body tense. “What happened to her?” My tone barely concealed my urgency.

“An officer from the Eteri army showed up last night and took her to the fort.”

I felt as if a cold current ran through my body. I stepped closer to Assu, locking my eyes onto his. “And what did you do?” I spat, my anger rising under the surface.

Assu raised his hands in surrender, knowing what was coming. “Angro, what do you think I could have done? I was alone, and that woman had an ion pistol pointed at my head. There were five other soldiers with her. If I did anything, they would’ve killed me and wreaked havoc on Sagoria. That’s the last thing Shaira wanted.”

“You let them take her again!” My voice rose uncontrollably, furious. I felt my fists clenching at my sides. “Once again, Assu, you failed to protect her.”

“Don’t talk to me like that,” he replied, his calmness only irritating me more. “It wasn’t in my hands. Shaira didn’t want me to cause a massacre, and do you really think she would’ve wanted me to risk all of Sagoria for trying something foolish? You know her as well as I do.”

I wanted to lash out at him, let my rage explode, but Assu stood his ground, refusing to lose his temper.

“That woman seemed to know her,” he added, as if that might calm me down. “She thought she was rescuing her.”

I stood in silence for a moment, processing his words. Rescuing her? What the hell did that mean?

But it didn’t matter. All I could think about was Shaira. Now she was in the Eteri fort, under their control. I knew what could happen there. If they found out she had been living with us, that she had lived as an opranchi, her life would be in danger. They’d accuse her of treason, and they wouldn’t hesitate to execute her.

“I’m going after her,” I said, my voice like a sentence. “I’m going to get her out of the fort before they do anything to her.”

“Angro, you can’t—”

“You won’t stop me, Assu.” I moved toward the door, already thinking of how to reach the fort without being seen. I had no idea what I’d do once I got there, but I didn’t care. Shaira was in danger, and I wasn’t going to stand by.

But before I could take more than a few steps, I found myself face to face with Amali. Her gaze pierced through me, and I knew it wouldn’t be easy to fool her.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked, crossing her arms.

For a second, I considered lying, but I stopped. Amali had already helped me before, when she got involved to retrieve the helmet that her brother had taken from the fallen bird, and I didn’t want to keep breaking my promises.

“Shaira was taken to the Eteri fort. I’m going to get her.”

Amali’s lips tightened, her face hardening with anger that quickly became obvious. “I told you to leave her be. Shaira has gone back to her people. Whatever happens to her now is not your problem.”

“It’s not that simple,” I replied, feeling my patience wear thin. “If she’s discovered, if they find out at the fort that she was living with us, it won’t just be her life at risk. The Eteri could accuse her of treason. But if the people in Zuwua find out I lied, that Shaira isn’t an opranchi raised by colonists but a soldier from the Eteri… Owan will execute me, and rightfully so. Your father already made that clear.”

Amali’s face paled slightly at that reality. She knew exactly what that meant. If Shaira spoke, even unintentionally, or if any opranchi saw her in an Eteri uniform, it would drag all of us down with her.

“You can’t risk everything for her, Angro. Our people…”

“I’m going to do it, Amali. I can’t let Shaira be executed for something she has no control over.” I stepped closer to her, trying to calm her with a touch on her arm, but Amali stepped back, looking at me with a mix of fury and hurt.

“It’s always her,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Every time it comes to Shaira, no matter what I promise, no matter what I try to do for us… you always run to her.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I knew Amali was right, at least partly. There was something about Shaira, something about our intertwined fates, that pulled me toward her, made me feel responsible for her life as if I couldn’t leave her alone. But I also knew my relationship with Amali was in jeopardy because of all this.

“This has nothing to do with her in that way,” I tried to explain, though my words felt hollow. “If the Eteri find out the truth, we’ll all be in danger. Not just her, but you, me, everyone in Zuwua.”

“Do you really think that’s the only thing driving you?” Amali asked, her voice quieter but no less painful. “What happens when you bring her back? Will you stay with us, or will you keep running after her every time she needs help?”

“This isn’t a choice between you and her,” I responded, though deep down, I knew I wasn’t being entirely honest. Shaira wasn’t just anyone. There was something more, a connection I couldn’t ignore. “If I don’t do this, our entire village will pay the price. Owan won’t hesitate to condemn me if he finds out I lied.”

Amali let out a heavy sigh, her chest rising and falling with the force of her anger. “Fine, Angro,” she said at last, though her voice was thick with frustration. “Do what you have to do. But I warn you, if you keep down this path, maybe when you return, I won’t be here waiting.”

The words caught in my throat. I knew Amali wasn’t just making an empty threat. This time, her feelings were truly hurt. But I couldn’t stop now. Not now.

“I’m sorry, Amali,” I said softly, knowing those words wouldn’t be enough. “I’m going to bring her back, and when this is over, we’ll talk.”

Without another word, Amali turned and walked away, leaving me with a mix of guilt and determination. I knew what I was about to do would put more than just my life at risk; it was putting everything I had with Amali in jeopardy. But I couldn’t stand by while Shaira was in danger.

With my head spinning, I stepped out of the house, ready to make my way to the fort. I didn’t know how I’d get in or what I’d find, but I was determined to get her out of there.

I had barely taken a few steps when I saw a familiar figure approaching from the trees. Zania, my friend from so many years, crossed my path with her bow casually slung over her shoulder.

“What trouble are you getting into now?” she asked, a grin of complicity on her face, though her eyes studied me with more seriousness than she let on.

“I’m going to get Shaira out of the Eteri fort,” I said bluntly, without stopping.

Zania let out a long sigh, as if she already knew what I was going to say. “Of course you are. Because that’s what you always do, Angro. You get yourself into impossible situations.”

“I can’t leave her there,” I replied, without breaking my stride. “And if I don’t do this, they’ll kill me too.”

Zania paused for a second, her grin fading as she processed my words. After a moment, she nodded.

“Then you’re not going alone,” she said, with a determination that matched my own. “Someone has to make sure you come back in one piece.”

I smiled slightly. “Is that an offer?”

“It’s what I do best, isn’t it?” Zania replied with a smirk.

Together, we set off toward the fort, toward what would be another mission that could cost us our lives. But I didn’t care. Shaira needed me, and I wasn’t going to fail her.