Chapter 77

Morning dew still clung to the leaves as the trio made their way to the stream to freshen up.

Aria Bennett cupped a handful of clear water and splashed it onto her face. Crystal droplets trickled down her fair cheeks. She pulled out a small porcelain vial from her pocket, tipping a few drops of homemade toner onto her palms before patting it gently onto her skin. In this perilous rainforest, any unnecessary cosmetics were nothing but a burden.

On their way back, Aria seized a blind spot in the camera’s view and swiftly slipped a yellow talisman into Nolan Reed’s hand. "Take this—a calming talisman," she murmured under her breath. "It should help shield you from that voice."

Nolan’s fingers trembled slightly as he tucked the charm into his inner pocket. "Thanks," he replied, his voice carrying a gentleness she hadn’t heard in a long time.

Aria glanced at the suddenly well-behaved man, a mix of emotions swirling inside her. If only he’d been like this sooner… She shook her head and quickened her pace to put distance between them. "Take care of yourself."

The exchange didn’t escape Damian Cross’s notice. His deep eyes flickered, the corner of his lips lifting almost imperceptibly.

By the time they returned to camp, the others were just waking up. The enticing aroma of boiled bird eggs Aria had prepared drew cheers from her team as they eagerly gathered around.

"Aria, you’re amazing!" Kieran Doyle cradled the warm eggs in his hands, shooting a smug look at the other teams.

The trainees watched enviously, some muttering under their breath, "We should’ve picked Aria as our mentor..."

When Cole Turner blew the assembly whistle, several female celebrities were still holed up in their tents applying makeup. Tobias Kane frowned at their meticulously done faces but held his tongue.

As they ventured deeper into the rainforest, danger struck relentlessly. A python as thick as a bowl suddenly dropped from the treetops, sending the group into a frenzy of screams. Cole swiftly neutralized the threat, but Audrey Lane grew increasingly pale.

"Are you okay?" Aria immediately noticed her distress, steadying the swaying girl with a firm yet gentle grip.

Audrey bit her lip and nodded, beads of sweat forming at her temples. "It just… came on suddenly..."

Without hesitation, Aria took her backpack, her movements decisive. "I’ve got you." She leaned closer, whispering, "Is the pain bad?"

At Audrey’s confirming nod, Aria’s eyes softened with sympathy. During the next break, she gathered a handful of medicinal herbs and brewed them into a dark-brown concoction.

"Drink this. It’ll help," she said, handing Audrey a warm bamboo cup.

The remedy worked better than expected. By the time they resumed their trek, Audrey could walk on her own, though Aria still insisted on supporting her.

"Aria’s so attentive."

"I wouldn’t have even noticed."

The hushed praises from the team reached Serena Blake’s ears. She scoffed and quickened her steps to sidle up to Nolan.

At noon, Cole’s team managed to hunt a few wild rabbits. The trainees fumbled through preparing the meat, and the end result was barely passable.

"Eat as much as you can," Aria urged her team, forcing down a bite of charred rabbit without flinching. Damian sat beside her, eating just as dutifully.

Nolan watched Aria’s profile, suddenly remembering the braised pork ribs she used to make. Silently, he set aside his energy bar and forced himself to eat more of the roasted rabbit.

The afternoon trek went surprisingly smoothly. Audrey had regained some energy and chatted cheerfully with Aria.

"That medicine of yours is incredible," she said, rubbing her no-longer-cramping abdomen. "Works better than painkillers."

Aria was about to reply when she abruptly looked up at the sky. A few wispy clouds were gathering at an unnatural speed against the clear blue.

"It’s going to rain," she said, striding toward the team leader. "We need to find shelter, fast."

Cole squinted skeptically. "Doesn’t look like rain to me."

"Within the hour," Aria stated firmly. "And it’ll last a long time."

The group exchanged uneasy glances. Under the vast, cloudless sky, her prediction seemed absurd.

Could they… really trust her?