As she sat there on the cold ground, crying softly and starting to lose all hope, she suddenly heard a familiar voice shouting her name. It sounded just like him.


    Amara froze, her body rigid with shock.


    Her eyes shot open, but she didn''t move a muscle. It couldn''t really be Finnian. She must have been so desperate for someone familiar to save her that she was starting to hallucinate.


    The thought brought a fresh wave of sorrow. Believing it was a figment of her imagination, she didn''t answer.


    But just as despair truly began to set in, a powerful beam of light cut through the darkness from above. She instinctively looked up and saw a face she knew so well. It was Finnian.


    For a moment, Amara was utterly stunned.


    She stared up at him, speechless.


    Then she watched as he spoke into his radio, rying that he''d found her, before stowing his gear and carefully making his way down the slope until he stood right in front of her.


    "Amara, are you okay?" he asked, his voice strained.


    While searching for her, Finnian had rehearsed a thousand things to say.


    But now, in this moment, all those words were gone. He only wanted to know if she was all right.


    The question hung in the air, and he realized he already knew the answer. Seeing her face, smudged with dirt and streaked with scratches, her eyes red and swollen, and the way her ankle was already puffing up-how could she possibly be okay?


    Without waiting for her to reply, Finnian opened his arms and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Don''t be afraid," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I''m here now. No one will ever hurt you again."


    In that instant, Amara was so ovee with relief she thought her heart would burst.


    She couldn''t hold back any longer. She threw herself into his arms and let out a heart-wrenching sob.


    Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, she buried her face in the crook of his neck and cried without restraint, her sorrow echoing in the dark forest


    Finnian had never seen her so distraught. His heart ached for her, and he held her even tighter, gently stroking her back.


    "It''s okay," he murmured in her ear. "You''re safe. I''m here. Please don''t cry..."


    But the more he tried tofort her, the harder she cried, leaving him bewildered. Was he making it worse?


    He could only hold her closer, his grip so tight it was as if he were trying to merge her into his very being.


    Amara didn''t feel any pain, only an overwhelming sense of safety.


    A second ago, she had been sure


    she was going to die there. The next, Finnian had appeared before her like a savior descending from the


    heavens, flooding her with a


    profound sense of euphoria.


    "Don''t cry anymore," he said gently, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Let''s get you out of here."


    Amara nodded, and with his help, she managed to stand.


    Her ankle was definitely sprained. It didn''t feel broken, but every step sent a


    sharp, stabbing pain through her leg, forcing her to limp badly.


    Once they finally scrambled back up the slope, Finnian didn''t hesitate. He swept her up into his arms, intending to carry her out of the forest.


    Suddenly airborne, Amara gasped. "Mr. Everly, you don''t have to carry me. I can walk on my own."


    Now that the initial shock had worn off, the memory of her emotional breakdown in his arms made her, embarrassed she wished the ground would swallow her whole. She kept her head down, unable to meet his eyes.


    ***