CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR – RETURNING THE FAVOR

"Florian?" she called out, panic rising in her throat. "Here!" His voice came from downstream. Cassie swam towards him, relief flooding through her as his strong arms pulled her close. They let the current carry them for a while before swimming to the opposite bank. As they dragged themselves out of the water, they could hear frustrated shouts from the patrol on the other side. "That was close," Cassie panted, wringing water from her hair. Florian nodded grimly. "Too close. We need to find shelter for the night." They trudged through the darkness, their wet clothes clinging uncomfortably. Finally, Florian spotted a cave hidden behind a curtain of vines. "It's not much," he said apologetically as they entered the damp cavern, "but it'll keep us hidden." Cassie shivered, her teeth chattering. "It's f-fine. At least we're s-safe." Florian immediately began gathering what dry brush he could find near the cave entrance. "We can't risk a fire, but this might help a little," he said,