Her entire body ached, she didn’t want to be pushing herself so hard. Ayaka wasn’t one hundred percent sure what happened, but she was fairly certain she was meant to be dead. There was no coming back from Ricin poisoning. Not like that. Then she had apparently met a goddess?

Ayaka shook her head, then instantly regretted it. It felt like she was being knocked around. Caramel locks still clung to her face. “I’m a fuckin’ high priestess. I’m too dainty for this roughin’ it shit. Fuck. I don’t think a Thayne ever responded. ‘Spose I’ve met two now huh?”

“I’m not a Thayne,” Breaker reminded her. “Not yet.”

Ayaka turned to glance at him, she furrowed her eyes. “Coulda fooled me, soul practically reeks of the shit I-” Ayaka paused, her body shook and she had to turn her head to the side to heave up bile and remnants of toxin from her body.

She drooped, sliding out of Breakers grip. He quickly positioned himself to get a better hold on her. “Ya don’t have to...do this…” Ayaka mumbled. She didn't’ understand it. Why he had helped her. All they did was fuck. Quite frankly she should have been more careful around Jasper, it was her own cockiness that got her into the situation. “I’ll be fine.”

“You’ll be roadkill, if I leave you here.” Breaker said, hooking his arm beneath hers again. “Come on, we’d best keep moving.”

“Fuck you. I almost died.” I hissed at him in protest. Still, I pressed on. There was no way in fuckin’ hell I was gonna let him lord this over me any more. I tried to push away to stand on my own two feet, I lasted several metres before faltering and he had to catch me again.

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

I wanted to be angry at him, but I didn’t have the strength. Even the usual Ayaka brand glare didn’t waver him. He just stared at me with cool, hazel eyes beneath a brow furrowed with concern. Dammit. Why did he have to look at me like that? I wasn’t weak.

Even so...I knew I couldn’t keep this up forever. I had my limitations. “I...I need rest…” I mumbled as I staggered again.

“I was hoping we’d find a house somewhere,” Breaker said, “but we could walk for miles out here without finding anything. We’ll find someplace with a little shelter, and you can lay down.”

I nodded and we continued down the path. Half an hour had passed before Breaker tugged me into the direction of the forest, having caught sight of something. Apparently his vision was fuckin’ amazing cause I didn’t see shit. “Where we goin?”

“I think I saw a cave - ah. Here.” He reached out and quite literally tore a branch clean off the trunk of a tree to reveal an entrance to a small cave. It was small, small enough that he and I both had to duck to enter. Walking forward a few more metres lead us to an opening. It was clear it was once used for hibernation. The stench of fur filled my nostrils, but whatever was once here, was long gone. There were no tracks leading in or out the cave nor signs of recent stirring. The cave walls were dry but the air brisk. “Home sweet fuckin’ home, huh?”