He softly brushed Ariana's forehead and inquired, “Does it still hurt?"

Ariana felt resigned, shaking her head. “It's nothing. He probably just got frustrated because he couldn't take me down right away.” She then hesitated before saying, “But it's still dangerous here. What should we do next?"

Holden replied, “Just hang in there for a bit longer. Bennett is hosting a banquet for Conata officials here in three days. I'll get you out then."

After a pause, he added, “Don't worry. I'll be keeping an eye on you these next few days."

Ariana finally released her pent-up pressure and began to cry.

Holden kissed her and said, “I'm sorry. He should have targeted me."

Ariana, still crying, shook her head and kissed Holden. He embraced her tightly, responding to her kiss.

Holden hated the thought of letting her stay here any longer but knew it wasn't the right time to take her away now. He didn't want to risk Ariana getting hurt again.

After sharing a quick update, Holden crouched down and pulled a small tube of ointment from his bag.

He applied the ointment to Ariana's wound. She winced at the chilly touch, and Holden, blowing gently to warm the area, asked, “Does it hurt?"

“It's just cold," Ariana replied, showing no sign of pain. After all she had been through, she was used to discomfort.

Medication was in short supply here and, if one wasn't on the verge of dying, one was usually left to fend for oneself.

Despite Ariana's assurance, Holden was extra careful. "This stuff is effective, and there's no smell, so it won't attract any unwanted attention. You'll be fine," he said.

When he finished applying the ointment, Holden set about prepping a spot for Ariana to sleep.

Despite the dirt everywhere, he didn't seem bothered as he used a clean rag to clear the mess.

Ariana felt awkward because part of the mess was her own vomit. She reached out for the rag, saying, “I got it; let me help."

"Don't worry about it. Just relax. Have something to eat, and I'll handle this," Holden replied, gently guiding her to sit down.

"Okay," Ariana said. Despite Holden's reassurance, Ariana didn't rest; she just squatted next to him, watching him tidy up.

"I thought you'd like this little puppy," Holden remarked as he picked up the puppy's bowl and poured in some goat's milk.

Hearing him say that, Ariana felt a pang of sadness.