If he had just aimed a little higher, Aurum would not be seeing the sunrise.

Aurum was also frightened and still had not fully recovered from the shock. Gale broke the silence.

"Ouch… It hurts," she whispered.

Shawn hastily asked, "Where does it hurt? Are you injured?"

He quickly dropped whatever he was holding, his mind solely focused on her.

"My ears, they're buzzing, I can't hear anything, just a faint sound... so faint..." Gale said.

She watched Shawn's lips moving, saw his worried expression, and roughly guessed what he was saying.

That gunshot, for her, the sound was too loud, having just woken up. She was reeling from shock.

If Gale had not raised her hand to stop Shawn, perhaps, in his rage, Shawn would have shot Aurum. Shawn wanted to tear him to pieces.

Shawn's large hand covered Gale's ear. "It's okay, it's okay... It'll be better in a while."

It was uncertain whether he was comforting her or himself. Gale leaned into his embrace, inhaling his scent, feeling at pe