Allison and Kellan felt a strange sense of familiarity, accompanied by an eerie vibration. Even as they dispatched the killer with precision, an unsettling feeling lingered between them.

Cornered at the cliff's edge, the killer hissed in frustration. "Damn it!"

Critically injured, the killer lunged at Allison. Already precariously perched on the slope's edge, Allison lost her balance. Kellan leaped forward, grabbing her wrist. "I got you!"

But in the ensuing chaos, they both tumbled down the slope. During their fall, Kellan shielded Allison with his body, his firm embrace around her waist protecting her head. Their descent slowed as they hit a tree, finally crashing to the ground with a jarring impact.

Allison, disoriented, realized Kellan had sacrificed himself to protect her. She checked their injuries: minor cuts on her arm, but Kellan was far worse. His forearms and legs were slashed; his right arm and leg were fractured, and he suffered numerous abrasions.

Conscious but in intense pain, Kellan groaned, "Help me. My right arm is dislocated."

Allison swiftly and efficiently relocated his arm. Sweat glistened on Kellan's forehead as he watched her. She then reset her own dislocated shoulder and fractured fingers, wincing slightly. She was tough, undeniably captivating, and remarkably skilled.

"Lean against this tree," Allison instructed calmly, removing her jacket to fashion makeshift bandages. She used the sleeves as a pillow for his head and wrapped a cloth around his arm to stem the bleeding. After a quick assessment, she said, "There's a cave nearby. We need to get out of the rain before we get sick." The highland rain could cause hypothermia and illness.

"Okay," Kellan agreed, attempting to stand with Allison's gentle support. With firm resolve, she helped him to his feet, and they headed for the cave.

Inside, sheltered from the relentless rain, they found some respite. Allison carefully positioned Kellan against the cave wall. She gathered dry branches and quickly built a fire to ward off the damp chill. As the fire crackled, she picked up two sturdy branches, potential weapons.

"I tried to call for help," Allison said, her voice calm but tense. "But there's no signal because of the rain. Emanuel will notice we're missing and send someone."

Carefully examining Kellan's leg, she said precisely, "This isn't a dislocation; it's a fracture. I need to stabilize it." Kellan endured the pain silently.

His thoughts drifted to the Allison he'd met two years ago: cool and docile. Then there was the Allison from the cruise ship—attractive and dominant. And now this Allison, skilled in ceramics and first aid. Which version was real? Watching her tend his wounds, he wondered how often she found herself in such perilous situations.

Allison stood, patting his coat. "Wearing this will help keep you warm. Let me dry it."

Kellan complied, removing his shirt, revealing well-defined muscles and a constellation of old scars across his abdomen. As Allison shook out her wet clothes, a necklace fell out: a flawless pearl set with a red agate, gleaming even in the dim light. Allison's eyes widened in recognition; it was the necklace she'd lost that night.

For a moment, their eyes met. Despite their composure, the recognition was palpable. The firelight cast their intertwined shadows on the cave wall, creating a tense atmosphere.

"I'll dry the clothes," Allison said.

"I'll add more firewood," Kellan replied.

They spoke simultaneously, then both looked for potential weapons, each lost in thought as the storm raged outside.