Sofia's heart skipped a beat as she heard the noise again, louder this time. It sounded like footsteps, heavy and deliberate. Leila's hand was on her arm, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Princess, we need to hide." Sofia nodded, her eyes scanning the cave. There was a small crevice in the wall, partially hidden by shadows. They moved quickly, squeezing into the narrow space.
The footsteps grew louder, echoing off the cave walls. Sofia held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. A figure appeared in the entrance, silhouetted against the dim light. Sofia's eyes widened as the figure moved closer, revealing a familiar face.
"Arin," she whispered, relief washing over her.
Leila's grip on her arm loosened, and they emerged from their hiding place. Arin's eyes scanned the cave, his expression tense. "You're okay," he said, his voice low. Sofia nodded, a mix of emotions swirling inside her. "We thought...we thought you were..."
Arin smiled, a hint of exhaustion on his face. "I'm hard to kill, Princess." He moved closer, his eyes scanning their faces. "We need to get out of here, though. The men who attacked us will be back, and next time, they won't be alone."
Sofia nodded, her mind racing. She trusted Arin, she realized. He had saved them, after all. "What do we do?" she asked, her voice firm. Arin's eyes locked onto hers, his expression serious. "We get you to safety, Princess. And then, we figure out what's next."