94 PHASE TWO

Zoe's back was on Raigon but she was contemplating his story with her hands on her waist.

She thought she was the only one who came to grips with a terrible tragedy in the past. She couldn't believe that that man she was slowly getting affectionate too has toughed out the same way.

But she was getting confused. 'Did I just weathered the same scenario? Were we both in the same tragedy fifteen years ago?'

She hammered her temples with her fist as she rummaged her head if she could remember the scenes then. 

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember anything.

'The last thing I could remember is I was leaving an island with Uncle and Cayden and I was crying because my parents were left behind.'

Zoe turned her back to look at him. Her scrunched face softened as she saw Raigon's mellow side in front of their tribe. He doesn't usually show it to anybody. Only when he was with her. But she was not at all envious.

"You're not alone now," she whispered through the winds as she felt gratified that he had the courage to unload his burden tonight. And he also tasted the same peace and weightlessness that she received as she emptied hers.

'He must have gone through a lot. I think I am finally understanding him. Whether it is the same unfortunate catastrophe or not, it is a sorrowful experience to go through. I lost my parents. But he lost his beloved homeland. Having your loved ones taken away from you, you would literally do everything so that it won't happen again.'

She walked back to her tent. As her feet felt the sand, it dawned on her why she was always protecting her no matter how minor the harm is.

She paused and lifted her wounded hand until the starry sky was its background. "What more if my life was in danger?"

She recalled again the words that he said in a tent which seemed like it will forever be engraved in her heart. 

'Will you believe me if I say that you are very dear to me? I don't want to see you get hurt, much less your life be put in danger. I lose control of myself to the point of not caring for my own life or status anymore whenever that happens. So please, I ask for your permission. Allow me to protect you.'

She turned and looked back at them. The heavy mood was lifted and they were now chiding with each other again.

As she stared at Raigon, it seemed like she was seeing him from a different light.

Before his aura was dark and suspicious. But now he was like a wounded soldier, whom she craved to strengthen and support as he guards his loved ones. 

She drew in a deep breath and made a decision. And she told it to him from afar. "I forgive you and I will trust you with whatever you will say from now on. But before reconciling with you, you must give me a favor that will prove your genuinity to me first."

She was still skeptical since he told her that he knew her beforehand, after all. What is their connection? Zoe continued walking back to the tent.

They seemed to follow her as Clay announced to the team. "Let's call it a day. We still have a big game tomorrow!" Everyone agreed as they cleaned up and prepared to sleep.

Raigon was true to his words as he packed his things to leave and gave his tent to Zoe's. As soon as he loaded his bag. He went to Kristie's tent so she could bid Zoe goodbye.

However, as he neared the tent, he wasn't expecting Zoe to be just outside and seemed to be waiting for him.

"I'm sorry to hear what happened," she uttered as soon as he came near her. 

Raigon heaved out a sigh. Finally, she was talking to her. And he could hear her thoughts which he was just guessing at a while ago.

He has no idea how she would react to her story. But he thought it would be a good gauge if she was ready to hear the whole truth or not.

He shrugged in response to her view about his past. "It happened a long time ago."

"You said you know me beforehand, am I right?" She didn't beat around the bush anymore as she probed on. 

'This is it,' Raigon thought to himself as he drew in a deep breath. "Yes," he answered her truthfully. 

"Do you also know my parents?" Zoe inquired directly afterward.

Raigon gazed at Zoe, surprised that she would ask him that, out of all the questions she could possibly ask.

Surprisingly, she was calm and cool headed this time. He wanted to answer her in honest veracity so he told her the truth.

"No," He responded. 

Zoe was quiet for a few minutes after that. She didn't ask any more questions, but she seemed to be thinking deeply as she brushed her hair to her sides and narrowed her eyes in space.

"How did we meet then?" Zoe grilled him. 

Raigon didn't bulge at all at her inquiry. In fact, he was expecting that it would be on the list.

And he will respond with all genuineness.

"We met in our country," He answered in a straightforward manner. 

Zoe's eyes bulged out in surprise for a few seconds at his direct comeback. But she seemed to hide it as she closed her eyes at a longer time than he expected. He gazed at her lovely face closely wondering what was going on in that brilliant mind of hers. 

"Phase two," she blurted out as she opened her eyes in a quick motion, which made Raigon jerk back in surprise.

"Phase two?" He repeated to her. 

"You passed phase one, right?" Zoe crossed her arms and faced him with a raised eyebrow. 

Raigon recalled what she was mentioning. Phase one is when she tested him if he could protect her from himself.

And he did, as he controlled himself from being sexually intimate with her. 

'Was she talking about the second test now?' He mused as he looked at her. Her face was scrunched up but she still looked like a nymph of the sea that transformed into a human being just now.

"I would do anything," he thoughtlessly uttered as he thought how he would go crazy if he let her out of his sight anymore. 

"Take me with you." 

Raigon's bag dropped with a loud thud while his feet unconsciously stepped back in bewilderment. 

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Concealment makes the soul a swamp.

Confession is how you drain it.

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