Kai let himself fall backward, exhausted. “What did I just do?” Katherine opened her eyes completely. She blinked several times, breathing deeply, as if the air weighed heavily in her chest. Her fingers dug into the damp earth as she tried to sit up. Too quickly. Just minutes ago, she had been bleeding out.

  She looked at her arms, then her leg, running her fingers over the fresh scars, frowning. “I’m… alive.” Her voice came out low, disbelieving. She looked up at Kai. Her golden eyes were no longer lost, but they were not calm either.

  She was watching him. “Did you do this?” the catgirl asked, tilting her head.

  Do I tell her the truth? Kai thought.

  “Something like that,” he said. “It wasn’t entirely pnned.”

  She tried to stand. She shifted her weight carefully. She grimaced, but she did not fall. “It should hurt more,” she murmured.

  Then she went completely still.

  A faint metallic sound. Her hand slowly rose to her neck. She touched the silver colr, tracing the runes with her fingertips. Her expression changed to one of discomfort. “This… wasn’t here.” She pointed at one of the runes with her finger. Kai felt his stomach tighten.

  What do I say?

  “Yes,” Kai swallowed hard. “It’s new.”

  Katherine tugged lightly at the colr. It did not move. She pulled again. Nothing. Her breathing quickened. “Why…?” She pulled harder.

  ...

  “Why do I feel like I can’t take it off?” the girl said. Kai did not answer. He knew nothing about what the colr was.

  Can she really not remove it?

  Katherine took half a step back without realizing it. Her ears lowered slightly. She opened her mouth again. “Thank you, mas—” She stopped abruptly, her eyes going wide.

  Her hands flew to her mouth. “What was that?” She was breathing faster now, and her face showed complete shock. “I didn’t mean to say that.” She swallowed. “I didn’t think that.” Her tail twitched nervously. “Why did that come out?” She was not looking at Kai. She was avoiding his gaze.

  ...

  “My name is Kai,” he said at st, pointing to his face. “Just Kai.”

  She nodded quickly, trying to shake off the embarrassment. “Katherine,” she replied. “I… am Katherine.” She pced a hand on her chest, frowning. “It doesn’t hurt,” she said. “But I can feel it. Here.” She touched the colr. “And here.” Her hand moved down to the center of her chest.

  She tried moving again, this time with more confidence. “My legs… respond better.” She looked at Kai, confused. “I don’t know what you did to bring me back, Kai.” She swallowed. “But…” Her face showed doubt. She tried to look at the colr again. “Something… is tying me to you.”

  Kai did not answer, because he did not know whether to deny it.

  The blue screen appeared without warning.

  [System][Level Up: Level 2 reached.][New Status][Css: Warrior][Subcss Unlocked: Warrior with Subjects][Level: 2]

  Kai blinked. Another screen appeared.

  [System][Katherine assigned as primary subject.][Role: Support.]

  Katherine let out a dry gasp. Her fingers closed around the colr. The screen flickered one st time.

  [System][New mission avaible: Tribal Forest Dungeon.]

  Katherine took a cautious step toward him. “So,” she said. “What do we do now?”