Genesis staggered out of the training room, the heavy door slamming shut behind her with a loud thud. The sudden burst of air from the closing nearly knocked her off balance, and she quickly grabbed the wall to stop herself from falling face-first onto the floor.
She stayed there for a moment, breath shaky, one hand pressed firmly against the cold wall like it was the only thing keeping her upright. Her legs felt like jelly. Every muscle screamed in pain. But somewhere deep inside her…
Something had awakened.
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand—blood, sweat, and tears all smeared together in one mess.
Her gaze dropped to her trembling hand. She stared at it. Then, slowly, she looked up.
The hallway was silent. Empty.
She took a deep breath and pushed herself forward, using the wall for support as she limped down the corridor. Just as she turned a corner, she almost collided with Cady.
"Oh—Gen…" Cady gasped, catching her immediately, one arm going around her waist to keep her steady.
She winced at the sight of Genesis's face. "Selene really went to town on you. Couldn't she have eased up a little?" she muttered under her breath, stepping beside her.
Genesis didn't reply. She simply collapsed into Cady's arms, her eyes fluttering shut.
"Damn it," Cady cursed softly, then swept her up into a bridal carry. Genesis's head dropped onto her shoulder, too exhausted and in too much pain to care that someone other than her husband was holding her.
As Cady carried her down the hallway, Genesis stirred, blinking her eyes open again. She looked at Cady, and Cady, sensing it, glanced down at her.
"Don't worry," she said gently. "Once we get you into that yoku bath, you'll start to feel better. It stinks like wet socks, but trust me—it works. They dunk us in it after every brutal training session. Like hitting a reset button on your body."
Genesis blinked slowly, her lips parting like she wanted to say something, but no words came. Only the soft sound of her breathing.
Cady smiled. "Yeah, I know. It hurts now, but once you're in that tub, it's like your body remembers how to breathe again."
She adjusted her grip slightly, careful not to jostle her too much. "We've all been there, Gen. Even the strongest. You're not weak. You're just new. You lasted longer than I did on my first day."
Genesis blinked again—slower this time. Her eyelids heavy. But her fingers gripped a little at Cady's shirt.
Just enough to say: I heard you.
Cady smiled quietly to herself. "You're gonna be fine," she whispered. "You made it through Selene. That means something."
Then Genesis's lips moved.
"Kieran."
Cady didn't quite catch it, but something in her peripheral vision told her Genesis had spoken. She turned, a bit confused.
"Did you say something, honey?"
Genesis opened her mouth again. This time, she didn't mouth it. She said it. The voice was barely above a whisper—so soft you wouldn't hear it unless your ear was close.
"Kieran."
Cady froze.
She went stiff as a statue, staring at the girl in her arms. Her brain struggled to catch up.
Genesis had just spoken.
Out loud.
With a voice that wasn't silent.
Cady opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say a word, Genesis's eyes closed again—and she passed out.
Cady looked down at her, stunned. Then she whispered, "Oh my god."
Genesis's eyes fluttered open, then quickly shut again.
Too bright.
After a moment, she opened them once more. Slowly, her vision adjusted. She didn't move—not because she didn't want to, but because she couldn't.
It felt like her body wasn't there.
Only her head.
She looked down at her arms, then, gathering every bit of strength she had, slowly sat up. To her surprise, it didn't hurt as much as she expected. Sure, she was sore—her muscles ached like she'd run a thousand miles—but it wasn't the soul-crushing pain she thought she'd wake up to. She leaned back against the headboard, furrowing her brow.
Why didn't it hurt more?
She was supposed to feel like she was on death's doorstep. Instead, her body just felt… sore. Not even in a terrible way—more like the dull ache after a long workout.
Still frowning, she looked around the room.
It was the same bedroom she and Kieran had been staying in. She turned to the side, hoping to see him next to her—but just like earlier that morning, the space was empty.
Her heart skipped.
She threw the covers off and climbed out of bed. Without hesitation, she rushed out of the room.
This time, the hallway wasn't empty. Several girls walked by, chatting quietly. They all smiled at her—kind, gentle smiles—but there was something else in their eyes. Sympathy.
Genesis noticed it, but didn't dwell on it. She figured it was because of the bruises still scattered across her face. She didn't care.
All she cared about was finding Kieran.
She hurried through hallway after hallway. She still didn't know her way around this place—they hadn't been here long—but she didn't bother stopping to ask for directions. Her heart was pounding too hard. Her mind was too focused.
Eventually, she reached the living room—and sighed in relief when she spotted some familiar faces inside.
She was just about to step in, ready to ask if they'd seen Kieran, when something they said froze her in place.
"How are we supposed to tell her?" Melody muttered, scratching her head. "She's gonna start looking for him the moment she wakes up."
Joy sighed. "Well… we have to."
"But how?" Melody asked again, clearly frustrated.
Katherine, ever blunt, spoke up. "What do you mean how? We just tell her the truth. Knight left her here. He's not coming back."
Genesis's heart slammed against her chest like someone had dropped a hammer on it.
She gasped—audibly.
The girls turned sharply, all eyes landing on her frozen figure in the doorway.
They jumped to their feet, startled.
And of course, it was Katherine who spoke first. "Okay, wait. I'm not the only one who heard that, right?" She pointed. "Did the missus just make a sound?"