Page 104 of The Hunter's Empire

"Like you're right."

I consider pretending otherwise. The effort doesn't seem worthwhile. "Unfortunately, I am."

The glare she sends me should have been enough to generate heat. Sadly, science continues disappointing us both.

Outside, another wave crashes against the rocks, sending a cold gust of wind through the cave. I watch as Zora instinctively curls further into herself before quickly straightening, pretending she hasn't moved at all. It is a poor attempt at hiding the cold, and judging by the look she gives me, she knows I noticed.

I raise an eyebrow and she immediately pointed a finger at me.

"Not a word."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking something."

"Always."

"That's the problem."

A quiet smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. Even after everything that has happened, she still finds the energy to argue with me. Somehow, her stubbornness is strangely reassuring.

By the time we wring out what little water we can from our clothes, they are still damp enough to be uncomfortable.

"Keeping these on will only make it worse."

Without waiting for a response, I peel off my shirt and set it aside with the rest of the damp clothes. The fabric sticks to my skin before finally peeling away, and I run a hand through my wet hair, trying to shake off some of the water. When I look up again, I find Zora watching me.

Her gaze lingers for just a second too long before she quickly looks away, as though she's been caught doing something she has no intention of admitting to. Even in the dim light filtering into the cave, I don't miss the faint flush creeping into her cheeks.

A small smirk tugs at my lips. "What?"

"Nothing." She answers a little too quickly.

"Hm."

She rolls her eyes, though she still avoids looking directly at me. "Don't flatter yourself."

The corner of my mouth twitches, but I let it go.

"Turn around."

This time I don't tease her. I turn my back to her and fix my attention on the cave entrance, listening to the waves crashing somewhere beyond the darkness. Behind me comes the quiet rustle of wet fabric being peeled away and the soft sound of water dripping onto the stone as she wrings out her clothes.

"You can look now."

I glance over my shoulder. She has spread her damp clothes over a nearby rock as best she can and sits with her knees drawnto her chest, wearing only her undergarments while trying to preserve what little warmth she has left.

Without a word, I look away again and settle my gaze back on the cave entrance.

"We'll figure it out in the morning." I say after a moment. "Right now, the only thing that matters is making it until sunrise."

Zora follows my gaze toward the entrance before giving a quiet nod. For once, she doesn't argue. That alone tells me how exhausted she is.

We settle on opposite sides of the cave, putting a respectable amount of distance between us. Neither of us says much after that. There isn't much left to say. We survived a plane crash, nearly drowned, and ended up stranded on an island with no idea who else made it ashore.

I try closing my eyes, but sleep refuses to come.

The stone beneath me is uncomfortable. The air is cold. My body aches from the swim and the fight against the ocean, and every time I begin drifting off, another gust of wind finds its way into the cave and drags me back awake.