Edith had no intention of falling asleep in such a tense situation, but the fatigue accumulated from days of travel and the passion of the previous night overcame her, and she soon drifted into slumber.

When she awoke, she found herself lying in Raphael''s arms, her head resting on his knee.

"You''re awake? We must continue our journey. Caen can no longer provide refuge; we need to traverse the forest and continue westward," he swiftly explained, signaling her to remain quietly in place while he went to assess the situation at the cave entrance.

Upon his return, his face was anxious and sombre. "The Committee of General Security has stationed guards at the cave entrance again, led by Quenet himself! It seems that my taking you away has truly dealt him a significant blow!"

"What should we do, Raphael?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

"We have no choice but to venture deeper," he shook his head. "If fate shows me a glimmer of mercy, perhaps there''s another exit at the other end of this cave."

Edith nodded, and the two of them continued their path towards the source of the faint light. However, when they finally faced the true origin of the glow, both fell into silence. It was merely phosphorescence emitted by stalactites in the darkness, reflecting upon a vast, stagnant pool ahead.

"Have we reached the end?" the girl''s voice trembled.

At this moment, Raphael''s lips curled into a dangerous smile, as he turned to face her. "If fate insists on treating me this way, why not take what I rightfully de