The Week

Chapter Four: The Week

Day Four — Evening

She came back even though every instinct told her not to.

Adie was sitting up against the cave wall, pale but alert. The bread was gone. The soup bowl was half empty.

“You ate.”

“You left it,” he said simply.

She knelt beside him and reached for the bandage. He flinched — a small, sharp movement — but didn’t stop her.

“You’re healing fast.”

“I’ve had practice.”

“Getting stabbed?”

“Worse things.”

She didn’t ask what. Part of her didn’t want to know.

Day Five

“Your wolves,” he said while she changed the bandages. “They listen to you.”

“They choose to.”

“Most people are afraid of wolves.”

“Most people are afraid of a lot of things.” Her voice came out sharper than she intended.

His eyes followed her hands, then drifted up to her scarf. “Why do you cover your hair?”

Jasmine’s stomach dropped. For a second she couldn’t breathe. She forced her fingers to stay steady.

“Why do you carry a poison needle?”

He went completely still.

“You tested my soup,” she said quietly. “The first day you woke up. You were half dead and you still tested my soup for poison.”

Silence stretched, heavy and uncomfortable.

“You’re not a soldier,” she continued, voice softer now. “Soldiers don’t carry silver needles.”

“Then what am I?”

She met his eyes — dark blue, guarded, far too intelligent. Something fluttered nervously in her chest.

“Someone important. Someone with enemies. Someone who should leave this cave as soon as you can walk.”

She finished tying the bandage and stood quickly, needing distance.

“Eat your soup. It’s not poisoned.”

Day Six

He walked today.

Not far — just to the cave entrance, one hand braced against the stone, teeth clenched in pain. But he walked.

Jasmine watched from a few steps away, arms crossed tight over her chest. A strange mix of pride and worry twisted inside her.

“You’re stubborn.”

“So I’ve been told.”

“It’s going to kill you someday.”

“Not today.”

He stepped into the sunlight, closed his eyes, and breathed deep. The light caught his face, and for a moment he looked almost peaceful.

Kira and Akira sat nearby, watchful but calm.

“They’ve decided you’re not a threat.”

“Should I be honored?”

“They’ve been wrong before.”

He opened his eyes and looked straight at her. “You never told me your name.”

“You never told me yours.”

“Adie.”

She blinked, surprised by how easily he offered it.

“What?”

“My name. It’s Adie.”

She waited for more — a family name, a title, anything. Nothing came.

“Jasmine,” she said before she could stop herself.

“Jasmine,” he repeated softly, as if tasting the word.

She looked away quickly, cheeks warming. “You should go back inside. Rest.”

“I know.”

But neither of them moved for a long moment. The silence felt different now — charged, uncertain.

Day Seven — Morning

She came at dawn, heart beating faster than she wanted to admit.

The cave was empty.

The blanket was neatly folded. The bowl was clean. The leftover bread was gone.

He was gone.

Jasmine stood in the middle of the cave, a strange hollow feeling opening in her chest. Relief… disappointment… something sharper she couldn’t name. Her throat tightened.

Then she saw it.

Carved roughly into the stone wall, one word:

adie

Not “Adie.” Just adie — lowercase, simple, almost shy.

,

She reached out and traced the letters with trembling fingers. The stone was still cool.

Why wouldn’t you say goodbye?

Why leave just your name?

She pressed her hand over her mouth. A small, reluctant smile broke through despite everything — the fear, the confusion, the quiet ache of someone leaving without warning.

For the first time in years, the cave felt too empty.

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