Chapter 41- Let It End Here

The night air was thick with tension, every breath laced with the scent of fear and determination. Sonia’s heart pounded as she and Eric faced off with the Cartel lieutenant, the shadows of the old training field stretching around them like silent witnesses.

The man’s eyes glistened with malice, his grin sharp and predatory. “You’ve made it this far,” he drawled, his voice a mockery of casual confidence. “But it ends here.”

Eric shifted his stance, his grip on his knife steady but his other hand still clasped with Sonia’s. “We’re not going down without a fight,” he said, his voice low, steady, protective.

Sonia’s pulse thrummed in her ears, a steady beat that reminded her she was still alive, still here. She could almost hear Silas’s voice, telling her she was stronger than she knew. She took a breath, grounding herself in the memory of all the fights she’d survived, all the masks she’d worn.

“You think you can scare me?” she said, her voice trembling but defiant. “You have no idea what I’ve survived to get here.”

The man’s smile widened, cruel and cold. “Oh, I know exactly what you’ve survived,” he sneered. “That’s why I’m here. The Cartel wants to make sure you don’t survive anything else.”

He lunged.

Eric was faster. His knife flashed in the moonlight, a quick, practiced motion. The lieutenant stumbled back, a gash opening on his arm. He hissed in pain, his eyes now dark with fury.

Sonia’s heart raced. Every instinct screamed at her to run, to hide, but she couldn’t not anymore. She wasn’t just Silas’s shadow; she was Sonia now, and she refused to let fear define her.

She remembered the self-defense lessons Eric had taught her, the hours spent practicing in the dead of night. She moved, not as a helpless girl, but as a fighter. She ducked under the man’s swing, grabbed a loose brick from the ground, and slammed it into his side.

He staggered, rage twisting his features. “You little ”

But Eric was there, moving with a speed that left Sonia breathless. He tackled the man, pinning him to the ground. The two struggled, a tangle of limbs and curses. Sonia felt a surge of panic Eric couldn’t fight him alone.

She jumped in, grabbing the man’s wrist as he tried to bring a knife down on Eric. She dug her nails into his skin, using every ounce of strength she had. He roared in pain, his grip loosening just long enough for Eric to wrench the blade from his hand.

With a final, decisive move, Eric slammed the hilt into the man’s temple. The lieutenant went limp, unconscious.

Eric’s chest heaved as he looked at Sonia, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, though her hands were trembling. “Yeah,” she whispered, her voice unsteady. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

Eric pulled her into his arms, holding her so tight she could barely breathe. She didn’t mind. The closeness grounded her, made her feel like maybe they could survive this.

“You were incredible,” he murmured into her hair, his breath warm against her scalp. “You didn’t freeze. You fought back.”

Tears filled her eyes, unbidden. “I didn’t want to lose you,” she choked out. “I couldn’t.”

He pulled back, his hands framing her face, his thumbs brushing away the tears. “You won’t,” he said, fierce and tender. “Not while I’m here. Not ever.”

For a moment, the world felt small and safe, the darkness held at bay by the strength of his arms. But reality returned all too quickly.

“We have to move,” Eric said, his voice urgent again. “Someone’s bound to come looking for him.”

Sonia glanced at the unconscious man, guilt and relief tangling in her chest. She forced herself to nod. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

They moved quickly, slipping through the shadows of the academy grounds. The file weighed heavy in her bag, but she carried something else too the memory of their fight, of the strength she’d found in herself, of the way Eric had looked at her like she was more than just a pawn in someone else’s game.

As they neared the old maintenance tunnel that would take them out of the academy grounds, Sonia stopped. Eric turned, concern etching lines into his forehead.

“What is it?” he asked, his voice low but urgent.

She looked at him, really looked at him the way his hair was damp with sweat, the cut on his cheek from their fight, the worry in his eyes. “I just…” she began, her voice breaking. “I need you to know if anything happens, I’m glad it was you by my side.”

His eyes softened, a mixture of pride and fear. “Nothing’s going to happen to you,” he said fiercely. “Not while I’m breathing.”

She smiled, small but genuine, and reached for his hand. “Let’s get out of here,” she whispered.

Together, they disappeared into the darkness, the promise of a fight and maybe something like hope burning bright between them.