C77

Only the soft hum of a fan in the corner disrupted the unsettling calm of the refuge. Jared sat slumped on the couch, his face pale, his breathing even. Lila offered him a drink of water, shivering slightly.

"Drink this," she advised.

Jared acknowledged it with a slight smile. "Thanks. I didn't expect to come out of there alive."

"If Adrian hadn't shown up, you wouldn't have