Heron’s POV.

“Please,” I begged, pleading with Reedah. “You can go without me. I'll be fine on my own.”

But she wouldn't hear of it.

“No, Heron,” she said, her tone firm. “We're in this together. You don't have to face this alone.”

I sighed, knowing that I wouldn't be able to convince her to leave me behind. “Okay, let's go,” I said, mustering up what little strength I had.

Desperate times called for desperate measures, I thought to myself. And so I decided to play a little game – I would pretend to be weaker than I really was, in the hopes that Reedah would leave me behind and...