Once they reached the outside, Vanessa looked around for somewhere they could sit. A few steps to the left, she noticed a wide stone resting beneath the shade of a tall tree.
The stone was flat enough for both of them, while the thick leaves above blocked the harsh sunlight. Then, Vanessa slowly led Rosalin toward it.
"Careful."
Vanessa helped Rosalin lower herself first before sitting beside her.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
The sounds of leaves moving above them filled the silence. Vanessa kept her eyes forward, trying to calm the loud beating inside her chest.
Rosalin was the first to break the silence. She slowly turned her head toward Vanessa, her tired eyes fixed on the side of her face. "So, why exactly did I lose to Calyra, and what message did she ask you to give me?"
Vanessa's fingers tightened against the edge of the stone. She turned toward Rosalin and met her gaze, remembering every word Ruvian had told her to say.
