Chapter Text
“Just one ride.”
Her voice was soft, almost a little shy, but this time firm.
“Just one. I think it’d do me some good. After that… I really can’t stay long. Two hours max, and I go back. Olivia and Axel will freak out otherwise.”
Petra didn’t answer right away.
She just blinked.
A light breath escaped her.
As if the sentence had hit her harder than a sword swing.
Then her expression shifted—subtly, but unmistakably.
A spark of joy, tiny and restrained and almost shy, flickered in her eyes.
“Alright.”
Her voice was even, calm, controlled… but there was something behind it.
Warmth.
A soft, quiet satisfaction.
A relieved exhale she would never admit to.
She rounded the car and opened the passenger door with an elegance only she could pull off, motioning with her hand.
“Get in. Since you decided it… you deserve the coolest seat.”
Jesse felt her lips curl into a smile.
Not the forced one she’d worn earlier.
A real one—tired, still a bit tense, but sincere.
She leaned in, taking in the inside of the car — clean, sleek, glowing, almost futuristic — and her eyes shimmered under RayVista’s neon lights.
“I mean… yeah. I kinda want to enjoy it.”
She murmured that as she placed a hand on the edge of the seat.
“The neons… the signs… all of it. We don’t come here every day.”
“Hm.”
Petra nodded, closed the door behind her once Jesse settled in, and walked around to the driver’s side.
She sat, buckled her seatbelt, placed her hands on the wheel… and the corner of her mouth betrayed a smile she couldn’t hide.
“Then let’s enjoy it.”
Jesse sank into the plush seat, feeling the soft texture under her fingers.
The car almost felt too luxurious for her.
She shot a shy glance at Petra, who started the engine with calculated calm—even though inside, she was practically glowing with pride.
The car hummed to life, lights from the neon signs rippling across the windshield — and Jesse inhaled deeply, letting the fresh, cold, electric air of RayVista fill her lungs.
She felt lighter.
Not completely relaxed, no… but good.
Really good.
Good enough for her mind to stop spiraling.
Good enough that she dared lift her eyes to Petra, a bit curious.
“So… what about you?”
The question slipped out almost on its own.
“What are you doing here in RayVista, besides… this car? Did you have a mission or something?”
Petra turned her head slightly, just enough to give her a brief, soft glance.
“Hm. Nothing impressive. I booked a room in a hotel near yours.”
“Wait, seriously?” Jesse’s mouth fell open in surprise.
“The CoralStone Hotel? The one we were supposed to sleep in before the mayor threw us into some… thing way too fancy for us?”
“Yes. That one.” Petra kept her eyes on the road.
A tiny sigh slipped out of her — subtle, barely audible.
“I thought you’d be there.”
Jesse didn’t understand right away.
She was picking a song on the touchscreen, her finger sliding through playlists like it was a new, precious toy.
She didn’t know anything about cars — far from it — but she could feel the quality of the leather under her legs, the softness of the seat, the little vibrations of the ultra-modern engine.
She knew she wasn’t supposed to be sitting in something like this.
And it made her smile like a kid.
“Ah… yeah, it would’ve been nice if we’d stayed at the same hotel.”
She said it without thinking, naturally.
Petra bit the inside of her cheek.
Which was an understatement.
If Jesse had seen her hotel…
If Jesse had known Petra had deliberately booked a room there, right next to theirs…
If Jesse had realized she’d even calculated their probable arrival time, just so she could “run into her by accident”…
She didn’t say any of that.
She kept her legendary calm — but inside, her heart tightened.
She had wanted so badly for their paths to cross naturally.
Without forcing anything.
Without creating something strange or intrusive.
Just… existing in the same space as her.
Not as a passerby.
Not as “the badass mercenary who pops up sometimes.”
But as someone who could start being part of Jesse’s circle — that precious little world she shared with Axel, Olivia, and Reuben.
It wasn’t that Petra was jealous of them.
Not at all.
On the contrary — if Jesse hadn’t cared about them so deeply, if she hadn’t lit up whenever she talked about them, Petra would’ve already adopted them without hesitation.
She liked what they were to Jesse.
She admired that bond.
She just wanted… to step into it.
To exist there, next to her, when she laughed, when she complained, when she talked too fast.
To be someone who mattered.
Not someone who passed through.
Not someone who watched from afar.
She cleared her throat softly.
“Yeah, shame.” she finally said, a bit too quickly, a bit too tightly.
Then she recovered her usual tone — steady, almost neutral.
“But that’s how it is. I did what I had to do here, and then… I picked up the car the RayVista mayor asked me to retrieve.”
“Seriously? The mayor asked you?”
Jesse looked up at her, impressed.
“Wow, that’s classy. So you’re the one who brings back luxury gear now.”
Petra repressed a smile, eyes locked on the road.
“Mh. You could say that. And then…”
A silence fell.
Short. Strange.
“It gave me an excuse to… pass by.”
Jesse arched a brow, a playful smile tugging at her lips as she scrolled through the songs.
She hadn’t taken Petra’s last words the way Petra meant them.
To Jesse, “passing by” just meant enjoying the city, the scenery, or running her missions.
She had no idea she herself was the real reason.
“Either way, we’re here. And I’m glad.” Jesse said simply.
Petra stiffened — imperceptibly.
Just enough to make the air in the car warm up by a degree.
“…Me too.” she breathed.
And Jesse, absorbed in the music menu, didn’t even notice the faint red blooming across Petra’s cheeks.
She was too busy admiring the touchscreen, brushing her fingers over it like it was some kind of treasure.
“Oooh… wait… wait—”
Her fingers slid again, her eyes shining as if she’d just found a loot chest.
And then her face lit up.
“There! That one!”
She tapped.
The first beat of Tek It – Cafuné pulsed through the car — soft and dreamy but still upbeat, that warm kind of melancholy that makes you want to smile and lean your head against the window to watch the world go by.
“Whoa… this song is SO good!” Jesse exclaimed, leaning toward the screen to read the title aloud so she wouldn’t forget.
“Tek It… Cafumé… Cafuné? I don’t know how you say it… but I LOVE it!”
She blinked a few times, genuinely shocked that a simple track could fill her with that much energy.
She didn’t know any of this: the style, the artists, these neon-colored playlists that felt just like the streets of RayVista.
Petra gave her a sideways glance, a smile just a bit too innocent tugging at the corner of her mouth.
“Nice pick.” she said, sounding almost proud.
“You really do land on the best songs, huh…”
Jesse narrowed her eyes slightly, as if trying to read a hidden clue in that tone.
“Wait… you know this one?”
“Me?”
Petra took a perfectly controlled breath.
“No. Not at all.”
And she immediately turned her eyes back to the road.
She was lying.
Of course she was lying.
She knew that song — it was literally in her playlist.
She’d been looping it while waiting for Jesse’s arrival in RayVista.
She had even imagined, just for a moment… driving through the city at night with Jesse, music blasting, wind in their hair.
And now, by some miracle, Jesse had picked it herself.
If the car had a mouth, it would’ve burst out laughing.
Jesse, meanwhile, noticed nothing.
She was vibing to the beat, her elbow resting against the door, her cheek lit by the city’s pink LEDs.
She knew she wouldn’t come here often, so she stared at everything like RayVista was some waking dream.
« Look, Petra, look! » she said, pointing at the window.
« There’s some kind of… rooftop sushi bar? And over there a pizza place that looks like a castle! And oh— wait, that one sells giant ice creams! They look like shields! »
Petra laughed under her breath.
« I knew you liked food, but not that much. Careful: if you stare too hard you’ll want to buy everything. And your money’s gonna melt. »
« But I’m rich now! » Jesse declared with childlike seriousness.
« I mean… rich because the mayor of RayVista gave us a whole bunch of coins. And the hotel, too. So… yeah! »
« Hm. » Petra made a strange sound — somewhere between curious and suspicious.
« Speaking of that… what’s your secret? What did you guys do for him to like you that much, when the mayor of Conderia almost openly hates you? »
Jesse was too busy admiring a huge glowing façade to answer at first.
Then she let out a nervous laugh.
« Ooooh… haha… that’s a long story. But I’ll explain it to you. »
She turned her attention fully to Petra, cheerful, excited, ready to tell everything—
« Wait. »
Petra cut in softly. Not harshly — just enough to guide the conversation.
« Before your story… why do you have to bring them food? Didn’t the hotel give you anything? »
« They did, but… » Jesse scratched the back of her neck.
« We didn’t dare ask the mayor if meals were included. And… Olivia prefers picking her own food. Axel too. And me… well… anything’s fine for me. As long as it’s good. And as long as it’s… “outside”. »
Petra lifted her eyes briefly toward the neon skyline, then back to her.
« Alright. » she murmured, in that tone that meant she had decided something without saying it.
But behind that tiny word, Jesse felt — without being able to explain why — that Petra was thinking way too fast for just one brain.
The mercenary hadn’t simply said “okay.”
She was already planning.
Planning which streets avoided the scammy vendors.
Planning which food stalls served actual good stuff.
Planning which places overcharged tourists.
Planning what Jesse might like, what Axel would inhale instantly, what Olivia would pick without hesitation.
Jesse didn’t see any of that.
Petra did.
She turned the wheel with one hand, the other propped against the window, looking relaxed while her mind calculated on every possible axis.
« You know… » Petra began, her voice lower.
« RayVista’s full of sharks. Restaurants, stands, vendors… half of them serve actual good food. The other half serves… a scam. Or worse. »
Her eyes slid toward Jesse, quick, protective.
« Since it’s your first time here, I’d rather avoid you ending up with something that’ll wreck your stomach. Or wreck your wallet. »
Jesse turned toward her, surprised.
« You’re… worried about me? »
Petra shrugged with fake nonchalance.
« I call it common sense. Teaming up instead of letting your group get played. »
« Teaming up? » Jesse repeated with a small laugh.
« Olivia literally said mercenaries sabotage each other. That some even ruin other people’s missions. »
« She’s right. » Petra replied instantly.
« That’s why it’s better to know who to avoid… and who to follow. »
The implication was crystal clear.
Jesse felt heat climb into her cheeks.
She opened her mouth to answer —
but her phone vibrated sharply in her pocket.
She took it out.
Olivia’s name flashed on the screen.
A long second passed.
Then Jesse sighed, pressed “call back later,” and slid the phone back into her pocket without responding.
Petra noticed everything.
And something shot through her chest — a small, stunned warmth, almost like… being honored.
Jesse lowered her eyes.
« Sorry. I don’t want to… ruin the moment. And… I don’t want to answer while I’m with you. »
The silence that followed wasn’t awkward.
It was heavy with something soft, unexpected, and hard to name.
Petra swallowed.
Jesse continued, naturally:
« So… yeah. Our mission. At first, we were just supposed to negotiate with the mayor to install a redstone network between Conderia and RayVista. A real network, you know. Lamp posts, a stable line, lighting, clean energy… all that to connect the two cities. »
Petra nodded.
She knew redstone networks well.
But hearing Jesse talk about it with passion gave the subject a different flavor.
Jesse went on:
« The Nether–Overworld passage is already done. What’s missing is the visible part, the outside. The relay blocks. The light chains. The path travelers will be able to follow without getting lost. Olivia was super excited. Axel already wanted to test the blocks hoping they’d explode. »
She laughed, shaking her head.
« And me… I’ll admit I was mostly impatient to get RayVista’s radio in Conderia. To listen to music like this. »
Petra gave her a brief, calm smile.
She found that… perfect.
« So you’re doing a gold-level job, » she commented, almost impressed.
« It’s rare they trust a group that’s so… new with that. »
Jesse pressed her lips together.
« That’s what I thought too. But… »
She inhaled.
« That’s not the hardest part. »
Petra turned slightly toward her.
Her eyes sharpened, deepened — fully attentive now.
« Then what is it? »
Jesse fell silent for a moment.
She watched the city slide by — the neon lights, the people, the silhouettes.
Her fingers tightened slightly on the armrest.
Then she let it fall:
« I almost got bitten by a zombie. »
« Wait—what do you mean a zombie almost bit you? »
Petra had practically stopped breathing.
Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel — not enough to lose control, but enough to show that the information had just gone straight through her chest like an arrow.
Jesse nodded, slowly.
« We were just driving toward the station. Normal. Except… »
She inhaled.
« We saw zombies sneaking under the rails. Not just wandering. They were… I don’t know… kind of fighting each other. And mostly, they were attacking the structures. The beams. The pillars. If any of that gave way, the people on the train above would’ve been done for. »
Petra glanced away from the road just to look at her, genuinely shaken.
« They were attacking… the structures? »
« Yeah. It was weird, even for me. So I… ran. Without thinking. »
She wore a slightly ashamed expression.
« Olivia didn’t even have time to park properly. Axel and Reuben couldn’t follow me. I shot out like an arrow. And I went straight at the zombies. »
Petra blinked, stunned, her jaw tight.
« You charged. Alone. Without warning. »
« I know, » Jesse exhaled. « I literally put the crate down and went into the alley before thinking. I wanted to keep the rails from collapsing. And I thought it would be a standard zombie. But nope. »
She wrung her hands.
« It was… way stronger. When I hit it, it didn’t even move. It felt like pushing a wall. It rushed me and… I summoned my daggers. I managed to block it, but my weapons weren’t enough to keep its jaw away. I was… really too close. »
Petra swallowed a shaky breath.
« And then? How did you… »
« Olivia. »
A nervous smile.
« She saved me. One arrow. Just in time. I felt it brush right past my cheek. If she’d shot half a second later… I was done. »
The silence turned icy.
The car drove through a darker zone, lit only by the blueish streetlamps of RayVista.
Inside, Petra seemed to be simmering — quietly.
Not at Jesse.
At the idea that anything had been close to hurting her.
« Axel brought the light blocks, » Jesse continued. « We couldn’t leave them in the car, it was too risky. So the light attracted more zombies. And since we don’t have the proper weapons… well… »
She shrugged.
« It was a really… complicated moment. If we’d had better gear, it would’ve been over way faster. But the mayor of Conderia still refuses to let us access any decent equipment. »
Petra didn’t answer.
Because she knew.
She had witnessed that herself.
« Adonis had cameras in the area. He saw everything. So the mayor gave us better weapons. Because he realized we’re doing what we can… but we’re risking our lives every single time. »
She looked away.
« And I… I almost screwed everything up by running off alone. I almost got bitten. I don’t even know what zombie bites do here. Olivia lectured me. Axel too. And they were right. »
Petra slowed the car down.
Her face didn’t show anger, nor judgment.
Just a raw, unfiltered worry.
« Here… » she murmured.
« Zombies can poison. Not just scratch. Their bite injects a toxin that burns your skin from the inside. If you had been bitten, Jesse… I wouldn’t have bet on your survival. Not with the clothes you’re wearing now. You’ve got nothing that protects your skin. Nothing that blocks toxins. Nothing that stops teeth. »
Jesse glanced down at her outfit, almost embarrassed.
« Yeah… I know. We didn’t want to show up in RayVista dressed like… full combat mercenaries. We tried to blend in a bit. »
Petra sighed, shaking her head slightly.
« There are stylish clothes that protect you, you know. We don’t have to choose between being safe and looking normal. »
She stared at her for a long moment.
A look that said: I wish I had been there.
That said: I don’t want this happening to you.
That said: Not you.
Then she softened her tone.
« At least… »
She swallowed.
« At least you weren’t bitten. That’s… the important thing. »
Jesse let out a nervous laugh.
« Honestly, yeah. But I feel like I’m messing everything up. I try to protect everyone and I do the opposite. I feel like I’m… a burden. »
Petra shook her head.
« I can’t tell you something that’ll magically make that feeling disappear. Because… I do the same thing. I charge in. I think later. I take stupid risks. The difference is, I’m alone. So if I screw up… it’s on me and nobody pays the price. You’re in a team. So of course… you feel guilt more. »
She inhaled.
« But I’m glad you’re okay. Really. »
Jesse felt her throat loosen.
She smiled.
« Thanks. »
She suddenly felt young, a little vulnerable, a little fragile.
Like a kid caught red-handed doing something reckless.
Petra raised an amused eyebrow.
« We’re all kids in this world. Some people are just… better at hiding it. »
Jesse burst out laughing — a real laugh.
It instantly relaxed Petra’s features, who laughed with her.
« I’m surprised the great Petra is admitting she’s a kid now… » Jesse teased.
Petra immediately smacked her arm.
Not a soft tap — a sharp, clean hit, perfectly controlled, strong enough that Jesse felt the full weight of Petra’s strength.
« Ow! »
Jesse rubbed her arm right away, shocked by the impact.
A tiny, offended « no… » escaped her, which made Petra laugh even louder.
« So a kid can do that? » Petra said, a smirk on her lips.
« No, but… you hit way too hard, seriously… » Jesse kept rubbing, not offended, just surprised to discover Petra hit like a golem.
« That’s why you need clothes that protect you at least a little. Or give you useful effects. Not… that. » Petra nodded vaguely toward Jesse’s outfit with a mock-critic expression.
Jesse exhaled with a smile, but she was a little embarrassed.
« I… okay. Fine. I admit it. »
Petra nodded slowly, returning to her calmer, more serious tone.
« You won’t avoid injuries, Jesse. Or getting hit. Or bit. In this world, everyone fights. Even the ones who prefer peace know how to swing a blade. »
She gestured briefly toward the window.
And Jesse saw outside a group of teenagers with skateboards under their arms — each one carrying a sword on their back. One stone. One iron… and a diamond one that caught the street neon lights like a flash of blue lightning.
« Wow… that guy has a diamond sword? » Jesse breathed.
« Yes. Rare, but not impossible, » Petra replied. « Here, even people who skate at midnight carry weapons. Because monsters don’t care if you’re a quiet citizen or a mercenary. »
The car slowed down at a red light.
Petra tilted her chin toward a brightly lit window in a building nearby.
« Look there. »
Jesse glanced up.
In an office a few floors above, two adults were arguing heatedly. Nothing serious. But each of them had a weapon leaning against the wall behind them — a golden sword for one, an upgraded axe for the other.
« Life in RayVista… it’s freedom. But it’s also preparedness. Here, everyone knows how to fight. Not necessarily like us, not like mercenaries, but at least… how to hold a weapon. How to defend yourself a minimum. »
Petra took a slow breath, and there was a shift in her tone.
« And meanwhile… Adonis, the mayor of Conderia, sends you off with nothing. No anti-poison potions. No proper armor. No adequate weapons. Not even a real briefing. Nothing. »
Jesse looked away slightly.
She knew Petra was right.
She felt it every time she went into battle.
« He’s the problem, » Petra continued, sharper now. « Not you. Not Olivia. Not Axel. And definitely not Reuben — even if he’s literally a pig who works better than some human mercenaries. »
She let out a short, humorless laugh.
« Your group… »
Her voice softened.
« Your group is skilled. Very skilled. You succeed at your missions. You improvise. You strategize. You stay on your feet even when you’re sent to do tasks entire teams should be handling. That… that’s exceptional. And it’s rare. »
She tapped her fingers against the steering wheel, restless.
« But you’re forced to waste upgrade materials on weapons that should’ve been replaced ages ago. You’re fighting with gear meant for beginners. Meanwhile civilians here have better stuff than you. And you — the ones sent straight into danger — you have nothing. It’s wasteful. And it’s dangerous. »
Jesse felt something tighten in her throat, but she stayed silent.
Petra went on, softer now, though anger still vibrated under every word.
« I’m not saying this because I think you’re fragile. I know what you’re worth. I’ve seen you train. Many times. In the woods. I’ve seen you learn on your own, improve, repeat moves endlessly. I have no reason to doubt you. »
A short pause.
« But being strong isn’t enough if your own mayor is cutting your legs out from under you. »
Jesse held her breath, shaken by how painfully true it sounded.
Before Jesse could answer, a deafening horn blasted behind them.
Both of them jumped.
The light had been green for a while, and a car sped past them, engine roaring.
Even the driver — some aggressive idiot shouting something out the window — had a sword at his hip and a dagger strapped to his leg.
Even he was equipped.
Petra exhaled sharply through her nose.
« See? Even that kind of guy has better defense than the four of you put together. »
Jesse stared out the window for a long moment, thoughtful, before finally murmuring:
« I guess that really hits the mark, huh… »
Petra simply nodded without taking her eyes off the road.
Jesse stayed quiet for a few seconds, still rubbing her arm a little, before a sudden thought dawned on her.
« Ah… wait. »
She turned toward Petra, narrowing her eyes.
« How do you know I train in the forest?
Especially… alone? »
The change was immediate.
Petra’s neck stiffened.
Her ears flushed pink before her cheeks even had the time to follow.
She blinked far too quickly for someone supposedly calm, then gripped the steering wheel tighter as if she’d just taken a critical hit.
« Uh… » She swallowed. « Well… Conderia’s big but… not that big? »
Jesse stared at her, puzzled.
Petra wanted to die on the spot.
She swallowed her panic, coughed into her fist to buy time, then continued with a disastrously fake confidence:
« I… I hang around the caves nearby sometimes. Looking for materials. And… there are some passages that open up near the forest you go to.
So obviously… I saw you once or twice. »
Once or twice.
The most pathetic lie of the year.
In reality, she’d seen her every single time.
Every secret little escape Jesse made to go train.
Every breath, every step, every swing of her blade.
She knew by heart the particular swish Jesse made before striking.
She knew when Jesse switched her dagger from one hand to the other.
She knew that little habit she had of warming up her wrists, stepping left–pivot, then lunging forward.
And more than that:
She had mimicked Jesse’s movements from behind the trees, practicing silently in the shadows, like their silhouettes were dancing together in the dark.
But that… she would never, ever admit.
Jesse, unaware of the true magnitude of that secret, studied her with a disbelieving little laugh.
« So… you really did see me training? »
Petra looked away for half a second — fatal mistake — because the car drifted slightly to the left, forcing her to snap the wheel back with a sharp jerk.
« Yes! I mean… yes. But not on purpose! I just… stumbled on it. »
A beat.
« By chance. While… passing by. »
She was digging her own grave.
She knew it.
She heard it.
She wished she could throw herself out of the moving car.
Jesse raised an eyebrow.
« By chance? In the same forest? At the same times? »
Petra turned bright crimson.
« It’s a… very… used forest? »
Her excuse died instantly.
She sighed, defeated.
« Fine. Okay. I saw you a few times. »
That word — a few — sounded like a full confession of premeditated stalking.
Jesse let out a small laugh, not mocking, just genuinely surprised.
« And… what exactly were you doing when you saw me? »
Petra almost swallowed her tongue.
The images hit her like a punch:
Her, crouched between two trees, copying Jesse’s movements with dangerous precision, feeling almost like their bodies were moving in sync.
Every pivot of Jesse had become her pivot.
Every breath, her rhythm.
Every gesture… a two-person dance that existed only one way.
She answered as neutrally as humanly possible:
« I was watching. Just… watching. To, uh… learn, you know? I like improving my techniques too. And you’re really good, so… »
She almost added and you hypnotize me, but bit down on her tongue.
Jesse blinked, surprised but flattered.
« Ah… you… you get inspired? By my movements? »
Petra swallowed hard.
« Yes. I mean… a little. It’s normal between mercenaries, you know. We all learn from each other. »
Lie number six.
But at least this one sounded somewhat believable.
Jesse nodded, touched.
« I didn’t know anyone paid attention to what I did. Besides Olivia and Axel. »
A small, discreet warmth bloomed in Petra’s chest.
A soft pride — almost intimate.
She answered more truthfully this time:
« I pay attention to you because… you take your work seriously. You put effort into it. You don’t give up. And… »
She hesitated.
« It’s impressive. That’s all. »
Jesse scratched her cheek, embarrassed.
« Thanks. That’s nice. I thought I was just being kinda… weird training like that. »
Petra smirked slightly.
« You’re not weird. You’re… »
She searched for the word.
A word that wouldn’t betray what she really meant.
A safe word.
« Determined. »
The car rolled onward toward the next traffic light, neon colors sliding over their faces.
Petra spoke again, her tone calmer — but with a raw truth beneath.
« And… it doesn’t surprise me that you train so much. You wouldn’t guess from how you act, but your life is way more eventful than mine. More intense. »
A soft smile.
« It’s normal that you attract attention. Even without realizing it. »
Jesse lifted her head, surprised by Petra’s tone — almost gentle, almost obvious.
Petra kept her eyes glued to the road, as if looking at Jesse while saying that would have killed her on the spot.
Inside her head, though?
Chaos.
Of course Jesse attracted attention.
A lot of it.
Petra remembered everything:
The white bandages Jesse wrapped around her chest before training.
How she tugged them tight to secure them.
Her warm-up movements — left, right, wrist rotation, switching hands.
The breath she let slip between her teeth before striking — focused, determined, stunning.
She also remembered the looks.
The ones she’d caught from bushes, alleys, shadows.
Aiden leaning against a tree, eyes glowing with an obsession Petra hated to acknowledge.
Lukas, sitting farther away, notebook in hand, sketching or taking notes while stealing glances at Jesse.
A musician with chestnut hair and a tight ponytail, black tank top, colorful bracelets — staring at Jesse as she played a slow, admiring melody.
And Reuben…
Reuben who followed Jesse everywhere, who even helped hold her feet down whenever she tried — very awkwardly — to do sit-ups.
Petra almost bit her lip remembering that.
Jesse’s stomach.
How could someone be so… solid, soft, broad, sturdy, and absolutely adorable all at once?
She’d watched Jesse try to sit up, her face all serious, her belly making that irresistible little wave, and Petra had actually had to hide behind a tree because she almost burst out laughing like an idiot.
Or jumped on her just to poke that belly.
Or bite it.
Or… whatever.
She shook her head, chasing the images away.
« You attract attention too, you know, » Jesse said suddenly, yanking her out of her mental spiral.
Petra blinked.
« Me? What do you mean, me? »
Jesse stared at her, incredulous.
« Petra… you’re Petra. The badass. The one everybody respects. »
She raised a hand, counting on her fingers.
« The one who comes back from impossible missions, who finds materials no one’s ever seen, who stands her ground against any monster, who— »
« Okay, okay… » Petra muttered, blushing all the way to the tips of her ears.
« No, but seriously! » Jesse insisted, amused by the mercenary’s discomfort.
« You make people tremble just by saying your name. And on top of that… »
She flashed a mischievous smile.
« You’ve got style. And honestly… you’re kinda hot. »
Petra almost hit the brakes.
A silent WHAT?! detonated inside her skull.
She stiffened, shrank into herself, nearly curling up behind the wheel.
« Jesse, stop… » she said in a strangled voice. « You’re gonna make me blush. More than… this. Already. »
Under the multicolored neon lights sliding across their faces, Petra looked like she was about to combust.
Her shade went from pink to full tomato red.
Jesse burst out laughing.
A warm, genuine laugh — the kind that had relaxed her a few minutes earlier, the kind that always melted Petra into a puddle.
Petra grumbled a little, but with a smile she could no longer hide.
« And anyway… » she continued, trying to pull herself back together, « if I brought up Adonis, it’s not just random. You… »
She inhaled.
« You’re good. You, Olivia, Axel, Reuben. Maybe you’re novices, but you’re efficient. And Adonis… »
She tightened her grip on the wheel.
« Adonis is very clearly trying to get you all killed. »
Jesse let out a long, heavy sigh.
« We suspected it. But today… we finally confirmed it. Together. »
Petra, jaw clenched, inhaled slowly.
Her fingers tensed on the leather steering wheel, as if she were holding something back—
as if saying what came next cost her more than a fight.
« That’s also why I keep insisting… » she finally admitted, her voice lower.
« I really want to help you, Jesse. You, Olivia, Axel… even Reuben. »
Jesse tilted her head slightly.
The way Petra said their names… it sounded like she was already carrying some of their weight herself.
« Adonis is sending you straight into a wall. »
Petra swallowed, eyes fixed straight ahead.
« Maybe he doesn’t even realize it, but… I’m scared that one day it’ll be too much for you. You’re three people, for crying out loud. Three… and a pig. And I don’t mean that in a bad way. Reuben’s better than half the guys I’ve worked with. But you don’t have what you need to withstand everything he throws at you. »
Jesse exhaled softly through her nose.
She knew.
Today had made that painfully clear.
And it still twisted her stomach.
« You know… mercenaries have trouble working together, » she eventually said.
« We even heard some sabotage other people’s missions. »
Petra nodded slowly, almost sadly.
« That’s true. More than true. »
She let out a laugh with no joy in it.
« Some do it out of spite. Others out of competition. And others just because they don’t want someone else climbing the ranks faster than them. It’s… normal, for us. When you’re a mercenary, you’d better be wary of everyone. »
She paused.
Only for a second.
Because she didn’t want to hide anything from Jesse. Not tonight.
« Once, I heard a guy bragging about finding a rare mineral, » she said, eyes following the streaks of road lights passing above them.
« That same night, another mercenary climbed up to his place—three floors up—and stole everything. Piece by piece. The guy never recovered a thing. »
Jesse’s eyes widened.
« Wait, three floors?! »
« Yes. » Petra replied, tone flat, as if it were the most ordinary fact in the world.
« And honestly, three floors is nothing. With the right hooks and some practice, you can climb anywhere. »
She tapped a small compartment beside her seat.
« I have one in the car. »
« …you’re joking. »
« No, » Petra said with a crooked smile. « It’s… a work tool. Adonis asks for them sometimes. »
Jesse frowned slightly.
She still had trouble imagining Petra climbing façades or slipping in through windows.
But seeing her drive like someone who’d done this for ten lifetimes… suddenly made everything make a strange kind of sense.
« So basically… » Jesse summed up, « you’re a spy, a thief, a scout, an explorer, a fighter… »
« Multifunctional, » Petra corrected with a hint of pride. « That’s the proper word. »
She bit the inside of her cheek.
She had almost said “and I’ve climbed through your window too, but that’s a detail.”
Thankfully, her brain slammed the brakes just in time.
She didn’t say that.
Obviously.
Jesse didn’t need to know that one night, Petra had actually opened her bedroom window—silently—just to check if she was breathing.
Or that she’d frozen in place for ten whole seconds when she saw Jesse sleeping on her back, a lock of hair stuck to her cheek, the blanket half on the floor.
Instead, Petra simply said:
« It’s very easy for a mercenary to get into someone’s house without being noticed. Very easy. That’s why I told you Condéria isn’t a place where you can stay invisible. »
She shot Jesse a quick look—
but Jesse was too busy watching the city sliding past the windows.
Petra exhaled in relief.
She continued:
« When I offered for us to team up, it was also to keep other mercenaries off your back. Not just Adonis. Once they know you’re with me… they’ll think twice before trying anything. »
Jesse raised an amused eyebrow.
« Oh. So basically… you’re my bodyguard now? »
Petra nearly choked on her own tongue.
« That’s— it’s— I never said it like that! » she sputtered.
« Calm down, Petra, I’m joking. »
Jesse gave her a soft, slightly nervous smile.
« And… thank you. For that. For wanting to help. »
« I don’t want to protect you, » Petra corrected immediately.
« That’d sound… pretentious. And you don’t need it. I just want to… be there. When it matters. That’s all. »
She tried to make her voice neutral.
She failed.
Completely.
Jesse lowered her gaze a little.
« I’ll think about it. Really. »
Petra felt her heart jump.
It wasn’t a yes.
But it wasn’t a no.
It was far more than she’d hoped for.
She simply nodded, eyes never leaving the road.
Jesse turned her head slightly toward Petra, then back toward the windshield.
A fragment of Petra’s earlier sentence kept echoing in her mind. I really want to help you.
She bit the inside of her cheek.
Petra had said it sincerely—Jesse was almost sure of that.
But Jesse had learned something, over time, through quests, shady meetings, clients who smiled a little too easily to be trusted: everyone hides something. Always.
Even the ones who look the most straightforward have their shadows, their little tells, their calculated silences.
Ever since she became a mercenary, Jesse had run into liars who avoided eye contact, manipulators who could cry on command, people who played the victim just to stab you in the back moments later.
And little by little, she’d learned to spot them.
The hands gripping a bag too tightly.
The voice rising at the wrong moment.
The smile that stayed while the eyes… closed just a little.
Petra didn’t have any of those tells.
But Jesse still felt she wasn’t saying everything.
Not out of malice, not like Adonis.
More like someone who kept things to avoid frightening others, to avoid overwhelming them, to avoid pushing too far.
She inhaled deeply.
The car was gliding along a large avenue where the buildings rose like pillars of light: libraries still open, galleries with bright window displays, little jewelry shops glittering at the entrance, late-night cafés, museums whose lobbies still showed slow-moving silhouettes.
RayVista didn’t sleep.
Not really.
Jesse found herself thinking inwardly: We won’t make it with just the three of us.
She saw again:
Olivia bent over her machines, hands stained with redstone dust, eyes darkened by sleepless nights but still shining with ideas.
Axel measuring the angle of his TNT placements, calculating blast radii, figuring out how to clear areas without blowing up the whole region.
And herself—always at the front, sword raised, charging first, taking the hits, testing danger before anyone else.
They were faster than before.
They lasted longer.
Jesse had gained flexibility, strength, sharper reflexes.
And yet… none of it was enough.
The monsters were growing stronger, quicker.
The missions, more twisted.
And they still had no real armor, no potions, no weapons remotely suited for what they faced.
We’ve grown stronger… but we’re still unprotected, she thought, a tightness curling in her chest.
A thought surfaced—gentle, timid, almost ashamed:
A fifth person wouldn’t hurt.
Another blade.
Another mind.
Or someone like Petra.
But as soon as the idea warmed her chest, another, colder one surged behind it.
Adonis.
She saw his face again, that syrupy tone, his too-polite sentences.
The times he’d mentioned “rationalizing” missions.
The times he’d thrown out, casually:
« You could also work separately. That would be more efficient. »
The first time, they hadn’t reacted.
By the third… it had begun ringing like an alarm in Jesse’s mind.
Separate them.
Isolate them.
Send them out one by one into impossible situations.
He doesn’t want us to have more people, she repeated to herself.
He doesn’t want us stronger.
He wants us to break.
And worse—she could perfectly imagine Adonis finding out Petra had officially joined them.
A new mercenary in their group, competent, respected, feared.
He would explode in anger.
And Petra wouldn’t be the one to take the blow.
They would.
Always them.
Jesse bit her lip a little harder.
She didn’t want to offer Petra as an extra target.
Not her.
Not someone who had never asked for anything from this rotten city.
The car slowed as they reached an intersection.
And there, on a massive screen plastered to the side of a building, Jesse recognized the ad.
The van, bathed in golden light.
The road stretching open like a pale ribbon.
Two women—one lying down with a book, hair blowing in the wind, the other focused on the road, smiling wide, genuine, happy.
The slogan appeared again, hanging like a promise: something about “leaving with the person you love most”, about “giving yourself a moment outside the world.”
Jesse stared at it for a few seconds, silent.
A smile slipped onto her lips without permission.
« You’re looking at it again, » Petra noted—no mockery, just a soft observation.
« I like the slogan, » Jesse replied, eyes still on the screen.
« The idea of… giving yourself a break. Leaving somewhere without it being a mission, a contract, or a danger you have to deal with. Just… leaving. »
The ad faded, replaced by another.
The car moved on.
« I’d have imagined you being all over that, » Petra said, a small smile tugging at her lips.
« You, the queen of “let’s go on an adventure!” »
Jesse let out a short laugh.
« Exactly. Adventure—I know. Missions—I know. Fighting—I know. But… »
She hesitated, then pushed through.
« Leaving with someone, sharing something like in that ad… I’ve never… really thought of doing it for real. »
She let her head rest against the headrest for a moment.
« I mean… »
She toyed with the hem of her pants, her expression suddenly more serious.
« I could die tomorrow. Olivia could die tomorrow. Axel too. We’re always one step away from something going wrong. It feels… a little… dirty, to imagine things like that—trips, romantic stuff, or even just calm moments—when I know perfectly well I could make someone miserable from one day to the next. »
She inhaled, deeper this time.
The words had come out almost on their own, as if the car and the music had unlocked something.
« I already have Axel, Olivia, Reuben. They’re my… family, in a way. Dragging them into all this mess already makes my stomach twist. So imagining another person—or several—being attached to me while I’ve got Adonis on my back, Aiden on my heels, and maybe mercenaries paid to finish us off… »
She gave a sad smile.
« I don’t want to screw up someone’s life even more by dying right in front of them. »
Petra stayed silent.
Jesse went on, her voice a little rougher:
« As long as Adonis is around, as long as Aiden keeps doing whatever he wants, as long as we don’t have real protection, I’ll never feel… safe. Not for me, not for anyone else. And I don’t want to build something if the only thing I can promise is stress and the risk of dying at the exit of a train station. »
She laughed—but not a joyful laugh.
Just the kind that says: that’s how it is.
Petra swallowed, her fingers tightening on the wheel more than she meant to.
It was the first time she’d ever heard Jesse talk like this.
Not shouting “we’ll make it,” not yelling “let’s go!”, not laughing with Axel about a near-death explosion.
But thinking about after.
About consequences.
About someone else’s pain more than her own.
Jesse—the chaotic adventurer, the girl who always said yes to impossible quests—had just quietly admitted she didn’t want to break someone’s heart too.
And Petra hadn’t expected that.
It warmed her chest… and hurt it, all at once.
She finally answered, softly:
« You know… you don’t have to cut yourself off from life just because the world is dangerous. »
She paused.
« Yes, Adonis is a problem. Yes, Aiden is completely insane. Yes, there are mercenaries who’d shoot you for the right price. But… that doesn’t mean you’re condemned to live only for that. You’re allowed to want things. Moments that aren’t missions. You’re allowed to want… people with you for reasons that have nothing to do with zombies, redstone or quests. »
Jesse turned her head a little, surprised by the gentleness of her voice.
« Danger will always be there, » Petra continued, eyes still on the road.
« Whether you stay alone or open up to someone, it’ll still be there. The only real difference is… do you want to go through it alone, or do you accept that there are people stubborn enough to want to go through it with you, no matter what? »
She didn’t look at Jesse.
Because she knew that if she met her eyes now, something in her would betray her.
But in her chest, a thought kept circling, clear as an undeniable truth:
I’m already in. Whether you want it or not.
Jesse snapped her head toward her.
She was about to say something—she didn’t even know what yet—when Petra slowed down and parked the car on the side of the road.
The shift was so abrupt Jesse blinked, slightly thrown off.
The music had just changed.
“Les – Childish Gambino.”
The title glowed on the dashboard screen, bright white letters pulsing under the soft purple lights.
The warm, enveloping bass replaced everything that had been in the air before.
Jesse froze for a second, completely caught.
She had never heard this.
And it… it spoke to her.
Heat, voice, ambiance—every beat hit exactly right.
Petra noticed her stop dead like that and let a small smile tug at her mouth.
She leaned slightly toward her.
« Hey. »
She tapped Jesse’s upper arm gently, then her thigh, as if calling her back to the world, and held out a lighter.
« Can you hold this, please? I can’t find my pack. I think it fell under the seat or something. »
Still half-spellbound by the music, Jesse nodded without thinking.
She took the lighter, her gaze still drifting toward the deep rhythm coming from the speakers.
Almost without noticing, she got out of the car and slid the lighter into the back pocket of her jeans.
Petra stepped out on the other side, closing the door with the tip of her foot.
« I’ll leave the music on. Just… I’ll turn it down a bit. Otherwise we’re gonna drown everyone out. »
And she was right: around them, the beach was alive.
Not a quiet, empty beach—no.
RayVista at night was something else entirely.
The air shifted instantly.
Cooler.
Saltier.
More alive.
The sea was right there, at the end of a little path of fine sand.
The waves rolled in softly, a steady rhythm that contrasted with the DJ’s beat further down.
Everything was happening at once:
People looking for a quiet corner to talk.
Others laughing over fluorescent cocktails.
A small group playing glow-volleyball, the ball leaving streaks of light in the air.
Nearby, a makeshift dance floor where a local DJ mixed electro-latin tracks, shaking an entire circle of dancers.
And farther out, a row of VIP lounge chairs guarded by two security guys—a complete contrast to the rest.
Jesse breathed in deeply.
The salt.
The soft sea wind.
The diffused glow of the neon signs behind her.
The slow, warm beat of “Les” coming from the car.
She blinked, then a wide smile spilled across her face.
« …Woah. »
She opened her arms slightly, as if she wanted to scoop the whole view into her hands.
« This, Petra… this is a beach. A real one. »
Petra, still rummaging through her cigarette pocket, finally lifted her eyes toward her.
She smiled—softly, almost proudly.
« Yeah. That’s why I brought you here. »
She eventually found her small metal box, opened it, placed a cigarette between her lips without lighting it.
She also pulled out a kind of tiny metal ash-container, clean and square, one of those that closes by itself.
« I prefer this instead of throwing ash everywhere. People do whatever, but that’s no reason to be gross. »
Jesse stared at her for a few seconds.
She didn’t know what to admire first: the sea, the music, the glow, the warm air… or this version of Petra she rarely saw—calm, gentle, almost shy.
She stepped fully out of the car, closed the door.
A warm breeze brushed her shoulders.
The neon lights behind them made Jesse’s black braids shimmer with a violet glow.
She looked… peaceful.
And Petra watched her with relief, after all the tension that had been building from the earlier problems.
Jesse exhaled, still dazzled.
« I didn’t know a place could be… like this. »
Petra let out a quiet laugh.
« You don’t know what you do to a place either, when you finally open your eyes. »
Jesse turned toward her, confused but smiling despite herself.
« Huh? »
Petra shrugged, shifting her weight onto one leg.
« Nothing. Just… you’re enjoying it. It’s good to see. »
The song kept playing—slow, warm, vibrating—like it wanted to wrap the whole scene in an invisible blanket.
Jesse slid her hands into her jean pockets.
Her finger brushed the lighter Petra had given her.
She pulled her hand out again, just a little.
« By the way, Petra… do you smoke a lot? »
Petra lowered her eyes to the still-unlit cigarette.
« Less than before. And I’m trying to do it cleanly, y’know? To get my cardio back. »
She shook her little ash-box to show it.
Jesse chuckled softly.
« That’s cute. You act like you’re this rebellious smoker, but you’ve got your tiny pot so you don’t dirty the beach. »
Petra blushed.
Blushed for real.
Her pale redhead skin turned a pretty pink shade.
« Jesse… shut up. »
« I’m just telling the truth! » Jesse laughed.
The sea behind them stretched out like a huge plate of blue silver.
Multicolored club lights reflected on the waves.
The DJ’s music blended with Childish Gambino.
The world suddenly felt wide.
Beautiful.
Breathable.
Petra finally looked up at her.
« You like it? »
Jesse stared at the horizon.
Then at Petra.
Then back at the horizon.
« I love it. »
Her heartbeat was slowing down gently, lulled by the salty air, the hush of the waves, the orange glow of the lamps.
The music—soft, slow, almost sensual—still drifted out from the car, carried by the wind.
When she walked back toward Petra, the redhead stepped forward immediately.
Not slowly.
Not cautiously.
No.
Too fast. Too close.
Like she couldn’t help herself.
Petra circled her, inspecting her with the intensity of a hawk.
Her gaze skimmed Jesse’s cheek, her neck, her shoulder.
Then slid down to her arm, her wrists, her hips.
She was checking the places where a zombie could’ve left a mark.
Jesse blinked, surprised—
but this time, not tense, not defensive.
Just… amused.
She lifted her hands slightly.
« Petra… what are you doing? »
« Examining. » Petra didn’t even look at her face, too focused, as if she were checking a fragile piece of art. « You really have nothing? No scratch, no saliva, no… leftover fluid? »
Jesse burst out with a tiny laugh, light and musical, her braids trembling in the breeze.
« I’m fiiiine. We handled it. Olivia covered me, Axel kept the zombies back, and I still have two arms, two legs, and zero weird holes. »
« Mmh. »
Petra kept circling, unconvinced.
Jesse rolled her eyes.
« Petra, I’m not made of sugar. »
« I know. But zombie fluids stay active for four hours after the corpse dies. »
She made an extremely serious face.
« And since they’re already dead, it makes… a death of death. »
A silence.
Then both of them burst out laughing at the same time.
« Death of death… you’re stupid. » Jesse breathed, smiling.
« Yeah but cautious. » Petra answered, finally coming back in front of her, placing a warm hand on her shoulder to conclude her inspection.
« …Okay. You’re clean. »
She looked her straight in the eyes.
A direct look, relieved, grateful.
Jesse smiled back — a soft, sincere smile.
« So… that’s a compliment, right? »
Petra raised a brow, her own smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
« You can see it that way. »
Their smiles crossed, held, blended for a suspended moment.
A smile that wasn’t heavy or awkward.
Just warm. Simple.
A warmth that hummed low in the chest.
Then Jesse lowered her head a little, amused.
« You could’ve asked, you know. »
Petra pretended to think.
« Yeah… but you know me. I like checking for myself. »
« Control freak. »
« Reckless big adventurer. »
They laughed again, their voices melting into the distant music and the quiet breath of the sea.
And the moment was good.
Softly, simply, perfectly good.
Then Petra put half her cigarette back inside the little anti-ash box… and started rummaging through her pocket for her lighter. Nothing. She checked the opposite pocket — nothing. Her sweatshirt — nothing. She even patted her own side like the thing might magically appear. Still nothing.
Jesse raised her brows.
« Petra? What are you looking for? »
Petra, still focused, muttered more than she answered.
« My lighter… I had it… somewhere… »
She shot a quick glance toward the car.
Still nothing.
She spun around, went back to the bench, checked the ground, patted her pockets again with these quick, irritated motions.
« No, come on… where the hell did it go… »
Jesse watched her, unable not to be amused.
« Petra, breathe. »
« Hey, don’t laugh at me! You don’t get the panic a smoker feels when they lose their lighter! »
Petra threw her hands up at the sky, absolutely dramatic.
« Yeah yeah, I know, ‘that’s the consequence of smoking,’ very helpful, Jesse, thanks. »
Jesse snorted, but Petra kept going with her little performance.
She checked left, right, the ground, behind a concrete pillar, under the bench—
as if the lighter had sprouted legs and escaped into the night.
And then Petra stopped.
Completely still.
Facing nothing.
One small second passed.
A second where realization hit her.
Exactly who had that damn lighter.
Her eyes slowly lifted toward Jesse… but she didn’t say a word.
She kept the act going.
The comedy.
She sighed loudly, like someone resigned to a terrible fate.
« Well… guess I’ll just have to deprive myself of nicotine tonight… »
Jesse’s laughter died instantly.
She understood.
Her hand slid instinctively to the back pocket of her jeans.
The lighter.
A little cold rectangle against her fingers.
Petra knew.
She was waiting.
She was very intentionally waiting.
And Jesse was certain of it when Petra, still pretending not to know, said in her most innocent voice:
« Unless someone around here wants to help me out…
but I guess not. »
Jesse lifted her eyes toward her.
Petra wasn’t looking at her.
She was gazing at the ocean like she’d never owned a lighter in her life.
Jesse’s fingers closed around the object in her pocket.
A warm flush crept up her neck.
Okay… so what do I do now?
CHOICE 1 — Give her the lighter.
« Oh. Wait… I think… »
Jesse pulled the lighter out of her pocket with a small, embarrassed smile.
« It was in my back pocket. Sorry, I was the one who kept it. »
⸻
CHOICE 2 — Light the cigarette for her.
Jesse inhaled, tightened her grip on the lighter in her palm…
And stepped forward, just close enough for the distance between them to shift in a heartbeat.
« Wait. I had it in my back pocket. Let me light it for you. »
She lifted her hand and flicked the flame to life.
⸻
CHOICE 3 — Pretend… and keep the lighter.
Jesse subtly pushed the lighter deeper into her pocket to make sure it wouldn’t show.
She took a dramatic, exaggerated breath… and answered with the exact same energy Petra had used:
« Oh no… I’m so sorry for you. Losing your lighter… truly tragic. Really. My condolences. »