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"The Old Refuge is northeast," I point out.

"Too obvious," Trent counters. "They'll expect us to return there."

"I agree," Vex says, surprising me with his support of Trent's plan. "We need to disappear until the immediate hunt dies down."

I glance at Lily, now curled in a seat looking exhausted despite her earlier display of power. "She needs medical attention. The suppression compounds may still be affecting her system."

"I know a place," Vex says after a moment's consideration. "Sympathizer outpost in the western mountains. Small, off most maps. Good medical supplies."

Trent nods, already adjusting our course. "Approximately three hours at maximum safe speed."

"Will we be followed?" Lily asks, voice smaller now that the immediate danger has passed.

"They'll try," I tell her honestly. "But this craft has top-line stealth capabilities. By the time they organize a proper search, we'll be gone."

The tension in the cabin eases slightly as we put distancebetween ourselves and Eastern Arcology. Lily eventually drifts to sleep, silver eyes finally closing as exhaustion claims her.

I move to check on her, adjusting her position to be more comfortable. As I tuck a salvaged jacket around her shoulders, I catch Trent watching through the reflection in the viewport. Our eyes meet in the makeshift mirror, and something passes between us—shared concern, shared purpose.

Hours pass in relative silence as we fly west, the landscape below transitioning from ruins to wild territories rarely patrolled by Unity forces. Occasionally Vex and Trent confer quietly about navigation or fuel consumption, their earlier antagonism temporarily set aside in the interest of our shared mission.

Night falls, the cockpit dimming to reduce our visibility from below. Lily remains asleep, her breathing deep and even, modifications working to clear her system of Unity's compounds.

I stand to stretch my legs, moving toward the rear of the craft where basic supplies are stored. As I rummage through compartments, I find emergency rations, medical kits, and surprisingly, a bottle of actual water—not the processed liquid Unity typically provides.

"Here," I offer, returning to the cockpit with water and ration packs. "Who's hungry?"

Vex accepts with a nod of thanks. Trent waits until I've set his portion beside him, his fingers brushing mine in the brief exchange.

"You should rest," he suggests. "I'll wake you when we approach the outpost."

"I'm fine," I insist, though fatigue pulls at my muscles.

"Your modifications expended significant energy fighting off the suppression compounds," he counters. "Recovery requires rest."

"He's right," Vex adds, surprising me with another moment of agreement with Trent. "Sleep. We've got this."

Outnumbered, I retreat to the passenger section, settling into a seat near Lily. Despite my protests, exhaustion claims me almost immediately.

I dream of silver eyes and amber, of Trent's arms around me in the forest, of butterflies with wings that shift between orange and blue.

"Zara."

My name penetrates the fog of sleep. I open my eyes to find Trent kneeling beside my seat, one hand gently touching my shoulder.

"We're approaching the outpost," he says softly, mindful of Lily still sleeping nearby.

I blink away the lingering fragments of dreams, suddenly aware of how close he is. In the dim cabin lighting, his features are shadowed, but I can still see the intensity in his eyes.

"Any pursuit?" I ask, voice husky with sleep.

"None detected. Looks like we lost them."

Relief floods through me. "Good."

Neither of us moves. His hand remains on my shoulder, a point of warmth in the cool cabin. Something shifts in his expression—restraint giving way to something more vulnerable.

"Zara," he begins again, voice lower now. "When we land?—"