Jelo realized with a sharp pang of guilt that he had been so caught up in everything—the evolution, the system's voice, the revelations about dragons—that he had completely forgotten about Mira. She'd been waiting up there, alone, probably terrified about what was happening to him, probably wondering if he was going to be okay or if she'd have to run for her life. And here he was, standing in the bunker having a conversation with a voice in his head while she waited anxiously above.
He felt like a terrible friend.
"I'm fine now," he quickly called up to her, injecting as much reassurance into his voice as he could manage. "Come inside. It's safe."
Mira didn't need to be told twice. She climbed down the ladder carefully, her movements slower than usual, and Jelo noticed the way she winced slightly as she descended. His eyes immediately went to her chest, to the place where he'd struck her, concern flooding through him.
