Chapter 156

Finnian glanced thoughtfully at Odalys, his lips parted as if Damian’s words were forced back down. He gave a self-deprecating smile, nodded slightly, and said nothing more.

However, the lingering gaze between them remained intense and filled with longing. Stellan moved his head to block Odalys from Finnian’s view and said,

“Odalys,” Odalys murmured.

Stellan moved to sit next to Finnian, effectively separating the two.

Finnian watched them take their positions, and a bitter feeling stirred in his chest. He felt a pang of longing, but he dared not speak up. He was afraid of getting hurt.

“Ah, it seems like it’s cooked. I’ll try it first,” Freya said, picking up a knife to cut a small piece of meat. She tasted it, and her eyes lit up. “This tastes great! It’s really good!” Freya declared. The others, having finished their stew, immediately dug into the roasted meat.

The people from Group B handed some of the rabbits to Francis, and Finnian helped himself as well. Francis naturally shared the roasted pheasant with them, and everyone ate happily.

In the adjacent room, Sophia was overwhelmed by the delicious aroma, sneezing repeatedly.

“Adas, is the food ready? It smells amazing!” Sophia asked, propping herself up from the cot, wincing in pain. Her whole body ached as if her bones were coming apart, and her stomach growled loudly in protest. Adas stood silently in the corner, his expression dark.

“Adas, what’s wrong?” Sophia asked, walking over to him, still unable to believe her own words.

Adas’s face was grim. Sophia had a feeling it was something related to Odalys.

Chapter 156 (continued)

“Did Odalys do something to you? I’ll go confront her,” Sophia said, turning to leave the room.

With each step, pain shot through her bones, and she gritted her teeth, her face pale, as she made her way outside. The area outside was empty, but the enticing aroma drifted from the next room.

Sophia instinctively moved toward it, finding Finnian and Francis sitting by the fire. A rabbit was roasting over the flames, along with a pheasant. They held knives, cutting the cooked meat and dipping it in sauce, eating it with relish. Nearby, there were some pot herbs and pickles, and the smell of the food assaulted her senses, sending waves of hunger through her. Sophia stood frozen, staring in disbelief.

“Atlas, why are Finnian and Francis eating with them? Where’s our share?” Sophia turned back to Atlas, her voice tinged with shock.

Atlas’s face remained tight, his fists clenched. “This pheasant was hunted by Francis and Finnian. You were injured this morning, and I brought you back. We didn’t get anything ourselves,” Atlas said, his voice low. He hadn’t expected to be so upset over food, of all things.

“What do you mean! Francis and Finnian are from our group. The things they hunted should have been shared with us, right? Why are they keeping it all to themselves, eating with Group B?” Sophia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She felt utterly betrayed by her own people, fury building inside her.

“Maybe they just think Odalys is more important right now,” Atlas said, his tone bitter.

Sophia, however, wasn’t satisfied. She lifted her chin, ignoring the pain in her body, and walked over to the group. She stood towering above them, looking down on those by the fire.

“Francis, Finnian, you’re from Group A, right? Why are you eating with Group B?” Sophia asked in a cold voice, her tone dripping with disdain.

Finnian didn’t even look up. He simply kept chewing on the pheasant leg in his hand. In the past, Finnian would have rushed to her side, showering her with attention and care. But now, he didn’t.

Francis wiped his mouth and replied sarcastically, “Ms. Bennett, didn’t I tell you I wasn’t joining you? I find my own food, and I’m fine on my own. You’re always busy with something, never focused on finding supplies. What’s the matter? Now you think I should share the food I find with you? You and Atlas have never even helped with the search for supplies. Since we got here, have either of you even gone into the woods? Have you gone out looking for food?”

Sophia’s face turned bright red. It was true. She hadn’t gone out to search for anything since they arrived. There had always been something else keeping her occupied, but it wasn’t because she wanted to avoid it.

Sophia stood up straight and confronted him with confidence. “Francis, we’re in the same group. We need to stick together. Did Group B brainwash you or something? Even if you don’t like me or don’t agree with me, you’re still part of Group A. What will Group B think of us if you act like this?”

Francis didn’t respond. Instead, he sliced off another piece of meat and held it out. “I’ll trade you a wing for a piece of rabbit meat. How does that sound?” he said, placing the wing on a clean plate.

Stellan, watching the exchange, chuckled softly. “Alright,” he said generously. He cut a large piece of meat and passed it forward to make the trade, then pushed the wing toward the others, silently signaling them to help themselves.

Freya gestured toward Odalys, but Odalys simply took the wing and pressed it into Freya’s hand with a gentle smile. “You eat it.”

Odalys continued eating her pickled cucumbers and cutting her meat in silence, not uttering a word. The more calm and composed Odalys appeared, the angrier Sophia became. She stomped her foot in frustration.

“Odalys, are you trying to brainwash my team and make them turn against us?” Sophia shouted, her frustration clear.

Odalys, who had been suddenly called out, looked at her with a puzzled expression. She stared at Sophia as if she were dealing with a fool.

Chapter 156 (continued)

Odalys calmly replied, “They’re grown men in their twenties. Do you really think I need to brainwash them? Besides, we have a campfire. They came to borrow some fire, and we graciously let them. Is that a problem? Or do you think we shouldn’t have helped them? Should we have turned them away just when they needed fire?”

Odalys’ few words shut Sophia down. Sophia, angered and speechless, couldn’t find a way to respond.

“Francis, what about us? Does that mean Atlas and I don’t get anything to eat?” Sophia asked, her voice filled with frustration.

Francis chewed his meat without care, looking at her with a cold, almost disdainful glance. A flicker of sarcasm flashed in his eyes. “If you want some, then come over here and get it. Do you expect me to kneel and beg you for permission!”

Sophia froze at his words. There was no way she was going to lower herself to walk over and ask for food. She stood there, watching the sizzling meat, her stomach growling, and she could almost feel the hunger pangs piercing through her. The delicious scent was almost too much to bear. But her pride and reason stopped her from moving.

“Who cares about your food?” Sophia scoffed, turning around and walking away with her head held high, her steps deliberate.