On the Way to Sagoria

**Shaira's POV**

The sun had barely risen when Angro and I left the cave. The first light of day painted the jungle in golden hues, but the beauty of the landscape did little to calm my anxiety. Sagoria was far, and with each step we took, we moved closer to danger.

The silence between us was heavy, though our hands remained intertwined. We knew what awaited us, but we hadn’t spoken much about what we would do if things didn’t go well.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Angro asked suddenly, breaking the silence. His tone was soft, but in his eyes, I saw a mix of concern and determination. "Assu... I don’t know how he will react."

I looked at him, taking a deep breath. "We have no other choice. We have to try, or we’ll never be free. We won’t be able to move forward while that marriage still binds me."

Angro nodded, though his brow remained furrowed. "I know you’re right. But I can’t stop thinking about how close we’ll be to the eteri base. It’s a risk."

"I know," I replied, squeezing his hand. "But we’ve faced risks before. And I’d rather face this one with you than stay hidden forever."

My words seemed to ease his worry, though fear still flickered in his eyes. And while I tried to be strong, I felt the same fear coursing through me. The journey to Sagoria would not be easy, but we knew it was the only way to start building a future together.

We had been walking for several hours, the constant sound of our footsteps on the damp ground the only thing breaking the silence. Suddenly, Angro stopped abruptly, gripping my hand tightly. My heart skipped a beat as I saw him raise a finger, signaling me to be quiet.

I listened, trying to catch what had drawn his attention: voices, up ahead, among the trees. Without thinking, we both hid behind a large, moss-covered rock. My breathing quickened, fear beginning to tighten my muscles.

“It’s a patrol,” Angro whispered, his voice barely a breath in my ear.

We peeked cautiously, and there they were. Three eteri soldiers, armed and scanning the area carefully. They were speaking in low voices, but I could make out what they were saying.

“We need to keep searching near the river,” one of them said. “The lieutenant’s body should be around here. Xandria reported that it was left in this area.”

I felt the blood drain from my face. They were looking for my corpse. My mind filled with images from the night before. Xandria had kept her word; she had spread the lie that I was dead. If only those soldiers knew the truth…

Angro glanced at me, sharing my concern. We couldn’t stay there long; the danger was real. We crouched lower, waiting for the patrol to move on without noticing us. A few minutes later, the voices faded as the soldiers continued downstream.

I let out a sigh of relief, but a new worry immediately surfaced. I looked down at my clothes and realized what Angro had already noticed. I was still wearing my lieutenant’s uniform. The insignia, though dirty and worn, was still clearly visible. We couldn’t enter Sagoria like this. If anyone recognized me, our entire plan would fall apart.

“Shaira…” Angro’s voice was low, but his expression was serious. “You can’t go into Sagoria wearing that uniform. Anyone could figure out who you are.”

“I know,” I replied, feeling the urgency in his words. “I need to change, but we don’t have any other clothes…”

Angro looked at me for a moment, assessing the situation, and then let out a long sigh. “We’ll have to improvise. Give me your uniform. I’ll tear it up and dirty it enough so no one can recognize it.”

I nodded, knowing we had no other option. My hands trembled as I began to unbutton the top of the uniform. The humid, heavy jungle air made my skin prickle as the fabric slid down, exposing my chest. I couldn’t help but feel a mix of embarrassment and anticipation at being so exposed in front of Angro.

He, for his part, averted his gaze, though his hands reached out firmly when I handed him the garment. With quick movements, he began to tear it apart, his strong fingers ripping the fabric easily. I could see the concentration on his face, but also something else in his eyes whenever they glanced, even for a second, at my bare skin.

I stayed silent, watching him work with determination. As he tore the fabric, the sound of it ripping was the only thing breaking the quiet between us, but that sound made me feel strangely vulnerable. I could hear the pounding of my heart in my ears, loud and fast.

“This should work,” Angro said finally, not looking up as he rubbed the torn fabric against the ground to dirty it even more. “No one will be able to tell it’s an eteri uniform.”

But when he lifted his gaze and our eyes met, something in his expression changed. In that moment, something invisible broke between us. The tension that had been simmering beneath the surface finally spilled over.

I stood there, almost naked before him, and the desire he had been holding back for so long was now reflected in his eyes. The atmosphere around us seemed to thicken. I could feel the heat of his body despite the distance between us, and the air between us was charged with a new intensity.

Angro set the torn uniform aside and moved toward me with slow, almost cautious steps, as if he were afraid of breaking the magic of the moment. My breathing deepened, and when he was close enough, his hand brushed against my bare waist. The simple touch of his skin against mine ignited something inside me.

“Shaira…” he whispered, his voice husky, filled with emotions we had both tried to suppress.

I couldn’t respond. Words faded from my mind as he leaned in closer, his breath caressing my neck, and a soft sigh escaped my lips as his fingers slid gently across my skin, tracing a path along my side. It was as if everything we had gone through had led us to this moment, a moment where there was no room for doubt or fear.

Our lips met, and this time, there were no more barriers. The kiss was deep, filled with everything we had kept hidden in our hearts. I clung to him, feeling the heat of his body against mine, as if that closeness could shield us from all the dangers that surrounded us.

For an instant, the outside world disappeared, and it was just the two of us. But as his hands roamed my bare back, something inside me knew that this moment of intimacy was fleeting, that the dangers still lurked beyond the shadows of the jungle.

We slowly pulled apart, our breathing still heavy, and I looked into his eyes. There was so much to say, but time wouldn’t allow us. I nodded, understanding that I had to dress in what little remained of my clothes. We weren’t safe, but at least, for a moment, we had found refuge in each other.