** fractured trust**

Eliana woke to the sound of distant footsteps. 

Her breath hitched as she sat upright, heart pounding against her ribs. The cellar was still cloaked in darkness, but Kieran was already alert, crouched near the wooden door, his sword drawn. His silhouette was rigid, his ears attuned to the world above them. 

"They're still looking," he murmured. 

Eliana swallowed, forcing her breathing to steady. "How close?" 

Kieran's eyes flicked toward her. "Close enough." 

The weight of exhaustion pressed down on her, but fear sharpened her senses. She wrapped her arms around herself, her fingers tracing the coarse fabric of her cloak. "We need to move before they search down here." 

Kieran didn't respond right away. Instead, he pressed his ear against the door, listening. Then, after a long moment, he turned back to her. "You trust me?" 

She blinked. The question felt sudden, strange. Trust him? He had saved her more times than she could count, but he was still a man of shadows, of secrets. He still frightened her. 

But right now, he was all she had. 

She hesitated, then nodded. "I don't have a choice, do I?" 

Kieran's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "No. You don't." 

With that, he moved swiftly, prying open the door just enough to peer through. The dim glow of torchlight flickered in the cracks, shadows shifting as their pursuers moved about above. Kieran studied their movements, then motioned for her to follow. 

Eliana's heart was hammering as she rose to her feet. The air in the cellar was damp, heavy with the scent of mold and earth. Every step she took felt like a betrayal of silence, the rustling of her cloak deafening in the tight space. 

Kieran led her out into a narrow alley, his grip firm around her wrist as they slipped into the night. The city stretched before them, cold and unforgiving, its streets slick from the evening's rain. Somewhere, a bell tolled in the distance, marking the hour. 

They didn't stop. 

Through twisting alleys and abandoned corridors, Kieran guided her, his movements smooth, calculated. He knew this city like it was carved into his bones. Eliana struggled to keep up, her breath coming in short bursts, but she refused to slow him down. 

Finally, after what felt like hours, they reached a secluded courtyard. The walls were high, ivy curling over stone, and for the first time since their escape, there was nothing but silence. 

Kieran exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he turned to her. "We'll stay here for now. Just until I know it's safe." 

Eliana nodded, pressing a hand to her chest, trying to calm her racing heart. 

He watched her, something unreadable in his gaze. "You did well." 

She let out a breathless laugh. "You sound surprised." 

His expression didn't change. "I am." 

Eliana tilted her head, studying him. "You think I'm fragile, don't you?" 

Kieran stepped closer, his presence overwhelming in the dim light. "No," he murmured. "I think you're stubborn." 

She swallowed, suddenly hyper-aware of the space between them—or rather, the lack of it. The air felt charged, heavy with something unspoken. 

But before she could say anything, before she could even process what she felt, Kieran turned away. His attention shifted to the street beyond, his focus sharp once more. 

"Get some rest," he said. "We leave at dawn." 

Eliana watched him for a moment, then sighed. 

Trust was a fragile thing, easily given, easily broken. 

And she wasn't sure if Kieran was someone she could afford to trust at all. 

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