Chapter 201
A startled gasp escaped Hera’s lips.
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With unexpected ferocity, Hera seized the intruding hand and yanked, following through with a sharp knee kick.
Caught off guard by her sudden attack, Bernard managed to shield himself but was still thrown over her shoulder.
“Sweetie, it’s me…” he groaned out the words.
Seemingly deaf to his words, Hera scrambled up and launched another attack. Bernard relied on his night vision and narrowly dodged her kick. But as soon as he regained his footing, she charged again.
After a brief exchange, Bernard’s curiosity was piqued. Hera’s fighting style was raw and untrained, yet her blows instinctively found their mark, targeting vulnerable areas.
Each time Hera fell, she rose again, seemingly impervious to pain. Her body moved with an instinctive, primal urge to protect itself.
Bernard frowned, dodging her relentless attacks until he found an opportunity to restrain her. As he held her tightly, he noticed how icy her body was and how hard she was trembling.
“Hera?” he called again, but she only struggled harder.
Suddenly, he remembered her intense fear of the dark. This was far worse than he’d imagined. What could have caused such deep trauma?
“Sweetie, don’t be afraid. It’s me,” he murmured, pressing her head against his chest.
Trapped and overwhelmed, Hera panicked, biting down hard on his chest. Bernard grunted but didn’t release her. Instead, he whispered her nickname soothingly in her ear.
Just then, a gust of sea wind swept the clouds aside, revealing a bright full moon.
“Hera…”
At that moment, Samantha arrived with two flashlights in hand.
Panic had washed over Samantha when she realized both Hera and Bernard were gone. The untouched barbecue and the encroaching darkness fueled her worst fears, prompting her to grab flashlights and search for them.
The sight of them brought initial relief but was quickly replaced by alarm. Both were covered in sand, and Hera’s torn dress suggested a fight between them.
“Hera!” Samantha cried out, hesitant to approach.
She turned to Bernard and asked worriedly, “There are no lights here! How could you let her wander off alone? Hera is terrified of the dark! When she was young, she was locked in a dark room and abused by traffickers. It left her traumatized. She becomes extremely aggressive in darkness!”
Samantha’s voice trembled with emotion as she spoke. Bernard’s heart ached, his grip on Hera tightening involuntarily.
The flashlight’s beam seemed to anchor Hera, her struggles subsiding as she released her bite.
“Uncle Bernard…” she murmured, her voice soft as a kitten’s.
Relieved by her returning sanity, Bernard gently patted her head. “I’m here. You’re safe now.”
The familiar voice and scent calmed her slightly, but the surrounding darkness still made her tremble.
“I want to go home,” she whispered.
“Sure, I’ll take you. Can you walk?” Bernard released her and offered his hand.
Hera shook her head.
“I’ll carry you, then.” Bernard lowered himself, his back toward her.
Hera climbed onto Bernard’s back, and he effortlessly lifted her.
Samantha was torn between anger and worry. She followed behind with the flashlight beam cutting through the darkness.
The moon painted streaks of silver on the inky canvas of the sea while the waves whispered secrets to the shore.
Hera clung to Bernard, her face buried in his shoulder. She found solace in the familiar scent of tobacco.