The Billionaire's True Heiress From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 1523

Zeke looked incredibly anxious, his urgency magnified under the harsh glare of their flashlights.

"Alright, we'll keep moving. Do you need someone to help support you?"

Claire glanced at Jace, but before she could ask him, Dane beat her to it.

He looked directly at River. "Go help Zeke keep his balance."

River stepped up without a word, matching the guide's pace.

"I've got you."

"No need, I can manage on my own."

Zeke was remarkably resilient; despite his heavy limp, he wasn't slowing them down at all.

He had spent his life traversing these rugged mountains, so even injured, he was moving faster than Claire.

She and Elias were the true stragglers of the group.

Navigating the pitch-black forest after a sleepless night and a brutal fight was pushing their physical limits.

To their credit, neither complained. Their bodies were failing, but they pushed forward relentlessly.

Claire wasn't being delicate; after trekking for hours, her legs genuinely felt like jelly.

Elias wasn't faring any better.

They marched straight through the night until the first light of dawn broke.

Catching sight of a small stream ahead, Elias practically gasped in relief. "Hold on, there's a creek. Can we take five and wash up before pushing on?"

"I'm hitting a wall here. How are you holding up?" Elias asked Claire, looking terribly embarrassed by his own exhaustion.

He was panting heavily, his face drained of color.

Despite growing up studying medicine, he had never endured this kind of grueling physical hardship.

His stamina was slightly better than an average person's, but compared to the elite tactical team, he was dead weight.

Elias's daily routine wasn't as disciplined as Claire's, and he certainly didn't work out as much as she did.

If it weren't for the natural physiological differences in strength, he would have completely fallen behind her by now.

Truthfully, he was already falling behind.

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