The desert stretched endlessly in all directions, a sea of golden dunes rippling beneath the ruthless sun. Shen Lo moved swiftly, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon, heart hammering in his chest. The moment he’d heard you were missing, something inside him had twisted into a tight, unrelenting knot. And now, with the heat pressing against his back and the sand shifting beneath his feet, he was running on nothing but determination and dread.

Then, he saw you.

A motionless form sprawled against the sand, half-buried beneath a collapsing dune.

“Y/N!” Shen Lo’s voice was raw as he stumbled to your side, dropping to his knees. The sight of you—skin blistered from the merciless sun, blood staining your torn clothes—sent a cold spike of fear through him. His hands hovered over you before he finally pressed his fingers to your pulse. Faint, but there.

“Hey,” he murmured, shaking you gently. “Open your eyes.”

A weak groan escaped your lips, and your lashes fluttered. The relief that crashed over him was almost enough to make him forget the fury burning beneath it.

“You—” Your voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. “—took your time.”

Shen Lo exhaled sharply, a short, breathless laugh escaping despite the situation. “I’ll pretend you didn’t just say that.” His fingers brushed against your forehead—hot to the touch. Too hot. “You have a fever. How long have you been out here?”

“Dunno,” you murmured, eyelids heavy. “Lost my way after the attack… Sandstorm hit.”

His expression darkened. “Who did this?”

You tried to answer, but exhaustion pulled you under again. Shen Lo clenched his jaw, quickly pulling a waterskin from his belt. He tipped it to your lips, letting you drink just enough before he slipped an arm beneath your shoulders and lifted you carefully into his arms.

“You’re not dying here,” he muttered, holding you close as he stood. “I won’t let you.”

The desert winds howled around him, but Shen Lo barely noticed. His only focus was getting you somewhere safe. And finding the ones who dared to do this.