Akhil stepped into the dimly lit tent, his mind a whirl of restless thoughts.
He sank onto the stony platform that served as a makeshift bed, elbows resting on his knees, trying to calm the weight pressing against his chest.
Light spilled through the entrance as the flap lifted. He looked up to see Aria standing there, framed by the faint glow of the campfire outside.
She smiled gently. "Aren't you going to join the celebration? Y'know, it wasn't easy out there."
"Nah, I'm good," Akhil replied quietly.
Aria's smile faded into a frown. She stepped closer, her sharp gaze locking onto his.
Even without words, she could see it—the uncertainty still lingering in his crimson eyes.
"What? You're still beating yourself up over what happened?" she asked, her tone cold and edged with frustration. "Nothing even happened to them!"
Her voice rose, sharp enough to cut through the air.
