Adam took a long, shaky breath, his lungs burning as he forced himself to rise from the dirt.
His face was a mask of sheer endurance, drenched in sweat and pale with exhaustion, but his eyes remained sharp and dangerous.
As he finally stood upright, his legs trembled a little and Kai let out another sharp burst of laughter.
"Look at you, Adam," Kai taunted, his voice dripping with sadistic glee. "How on earth do you expect to rescue anyone when you can barely keep your own balance? I have to say, I truly admire the theatricality of it all. You have traveled all this way just to find a scenic place to die. It is almost poetic."
Adam did not give him the satisfaction of a flinch. He instead straightened his back,and looked at Kai with a cold, unrelenting gaze. His voice, when he finally spoke, was like shards of ice.
"Where is Noah?" Adam demanded, ignoring the insults entirely. "I am here, just as you requested. I have come alone. Now, give me back my husband."
