"Where I belong?"
Aven's harsh words reverberated in her mind, each echo cutting deeper than the last. Tess sank to her knees, pressing her face to the cold ground as tears streamed freely. She felt utterly lost, as if the world itself had rejected her. No one wanted her around. Definitely not Lanse.
Guilt gnawed at her chest. Aven had been right—she was a horrible person. Every choice she'd made had led her there. And yet, one thing was certain: she was not returning to Primus, not to the living complex she had called home. She needed an escape.
"Please, just let me stay with you guys for a while," she said, her voice trembling but tinged with hope. "I know Chewletes need Shinra energy for practically everything. I can be a living source. Take as much as you want."
Aven and Engel exchanged glances, their expressions steeped in pity. She was desperate.
"Fine," Aven said finally, forming a teleportation vortex with a flick of his hand.
