Chapter 1723: The stories untold
"You should rest."
Penny sat on the edge of the bed, head turned toward the other side where Zoren was standing. She said it because, instead of joining her to rest, he seemed to be headed elsewhere.
Zoren met her gaze and let out a shallow breath, then sat on the other side of the bed.
"I know I should," he said. "But... I can’t rest. Not when everyone else is willing to help me. I can’t fail you — or everyone else. I can’t waste a second, knowing I am putting everyone’s lives on the line."
Penny smacked her lips before pulling herself further onto the bed, crawling to where he was. Once seated beside him, she looked him in the eye and smiled.
"Renren, you know... one of the things I learned from my dad is that not getting things your way isn’t a sign of failure. It’s part of the learning process," she said. "The only time you fail is when you give up. Because really... the opposite of failure isn’t success. It’s nothing. Nothing at all."
His eyes softened at her words, and her smile remained gentle. She clasped his hand and gave it a firm squeeze.
"So it’s okay to rest. We had a really long day," she said sincerely. "And I’m just glad that we’re safe, that First Brother and Dean made it back unharmed. Even Mint — I’m relieved she’s fine, despite her bold stunt in confronting the enemy."
Her smile widened. "Isn’t that already a victory? A small one, sure — but still worth celebrating. It’s still worth acknowledging."
They were getting answers, finding clues — and most importantly, no one was getting hurt in the process.
Because in their first life, they didn’t even get small victories. It was defeat after defeat, a downward spiral they couldn’t control. But now, they still have control over some things, and they get to decide what to do next.
"It’s okay," she whispered. "Let’s just rest for tonight."