As the sun began to rise, painting the sky in soft hues of pink and orange, I stood at the edge of the forest, my heart heavy with thoughts of Rylan. Just days ago, he had been a shadow in my life, someone I could never trust. But now, rumors swirled around him. People were saying he wanted to help me. I took a deep breath, wondering if it could be true.
"Cinder! Cinder!" I heard a familiar voice calling my name. I turned to see Jason running toward me. His face was serious, and I could feel my heart racing. "Rylan is here! He wants to talk to you!"
"What? Rylan? Here?" I exclaimed, feeling a mix of surprise and unease. Just a little while ago, he had been part of the group that plotted against us. Why would he want to talk to me now?
"Yes! He says he wants to help," Jason replied, his brow furrowed in concern. "But I'm not sure we can trust him."
