A choice to stay

The forest seemed quieter now, almost eerily so after the chaotic clash of blades. Jasmine's legs felt like lead as she followed Caden through the thick underbrush, her heart still hammering in her chest. The adrenaline that had pushed her through the fight was fading, replaced by a cold, hollow feeling that gnawed at her insides.

They had survived. But for how long?

The wind had died down, leaving the forest heavy with the damp scent of moss and earth. Jasmine's mind raced, trying to block out the memory of the soldier's blood on her hands, the way her dagger had sliced through his armor. She had fought for her life. She had won. But the victory felt hollow, tainted by the growing weight of what they carried and the dangers that still lay ahead.

Caden moved ahead of her, his shoulders tense, his eyes fixed on the path before them. He hadn't said much since the fight, but she could feel the urgency radiating off him. Every step was faster now, more deliberate, as though he were trying to outrun the guilt that hung between them.

Jasmine swallowed hard, her throat tight. She wanted to ask him what came next, how they would survive the next wave of soldiers, but the question seemed pointless. He didn't have the answers any more than she did.

The border was close. They both knew it. They could almost feel the invisible line they were approaching, the boundary that separated them from the safety they had dreamed of. But Jasmine couldn't shake the feeling that crossing it wouldn't be the end of their troubles. If anything, it felt like the beginning of something far darker.

They walked in silence for another hour, the tension between them growing as the path became steeper, the trees thinning out as they climbed toward the ridge. The wind picked up again, carrying with it the distant sound of rushing water.

"We'll rest here," Caden said abruptly, stopping at the edge of a rocky outcrop that overlooked a narrow river below. He crouched down, his breathing ragged as he scanned the forest behind them. "We're far enough from the camp. They won't catch up to us before nightfall."

Jasmine didn't argue. She was too tired to. She sank to the ground beside him, her back pressed against the rough bark of a tree. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor. The night would fall soon, and with it, new dangers.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence between them was thick, oppressive, broken only by the distant rush of the river and the occasional rustle of leaves. Jasmine's thoughts swirled, her mind still grappling with the fight, the soldiers, the weight of the letter tucked safely in Caden's pack.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Jasmine asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Caden's jaw tightened. He didn't look at her right away. For a moment, she wasn't sure if he would answer. But then he let out a long breath, his shoulders slumping.

"I didn't want to put that weight on you," he said, his voice low and rough. "Not until I had to."

Jasmine's eyes narrowed. "You mean the weight of carrying a letter that could get us both killed?"

Caden turned to face her, his eyes hard. "It wasn't just any letter, Jasmine. It was his letter. The only proof we have of what's really going on back there."

His words hung in the air between them, heavy with the truth they both knew but had been avoiding. The letter they carried was far more dangerous than Jasmine had realized when they'd first set out. It wasn't just a message—it was a weapon. One that could expose the lies that had torn their world apart.

Jasmine's chest tightened. "And what happens when we cross the border? You think the people on the other side are just going to welcome us with open arms? You think they'll protect us from the soldiers hunting us down?"

Caden's eyes flashed with anger. "I don't know, Jasmine. But I do know that going back isn't an option. Not now."

She clenched her fists, frustration boiling inside her. She understood the danger—they both did. But there was something more weighing on her, something that had been gnawing at her since they'd fled their village.

"Maybe we shouldn't cross," Jasmine said, her voice trembling. "Maybe it's safer to stay."

Caden stared at her, his expression unreadable. "What are you saying?"

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "What if we fight back? Here. Instead of running."

The silence that followed was suffocating. Caden's eyes searched her face, as if trying to understand what she was really asking. Finally, he shook his head, his jaw tight.

"That's suicide, Jasmine. We can't fight them—not alone."

"We wouldn't be alone," she countered, her voice rising with a sudden surge of determination. "There are others—people who've been driven out, just like us. People who've lost everything because of this war. If we could find them, rally them—"

Caden cut her off with a bitter laugh. "You're talking about starting a rebellion. Do you really think that's going to work? We're barely surviving as it is."

Jasmine felt a spark of anger flare in her chest. "So what's your plan, then? To run until we run out of places to hide? Until they catch up to us and kill us anyway?"

Caden's expression darkened. "My plan is to survive, Jasmine. To get across the border, deliver the letter, and make sure the truth gets out. If we stay, we'll die."

She shook her head, her heart pounding. "Maybe. But if we cross that border, we lose any chance of fighting back. Of changing things."

Caden stared at her for a long moment, the conflict clear in his eyes. He didn't want to admit it, but Jasmine could see that part of him understood what she was saying. They could run, but for how long? And what would be left of their world when they finally stopped?

"You don't have to stay," Jasmine said quietly, her voice softening. "But I think I do."

Caden's face hardened. "You can't be serious."

"I am," she said, her voice steady. "I can't keep running, Caden. Not when there's a chance we could make a difference."

For a long moment, they stared at each other, the weight of the decision hanging between them like a blade. Finally, Caden looked away, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"You're going to get yourself killed," he muttered.

"Maybe," Jasmine said softly. "But at least it'll be for something."

The wind picked up again, howling through the trees like a distant echo of the battle yet to come. And in that moment, Jasmine knew she had made her choice. Whether Caden stayed with her or not, she was done running.

She was ready to fight.