Chapter One Hundred Seventy-EightMaya’s POVThe trees began to thin as we moved forward, letting more light spill through the branches. The sun was rising now, soft gold threading between the trunks and catching on the frost still clinging to leaves and pine needles. The air warmed just a little, just enough to soften the cold in my fingers.We walked in silence again, but it wasn’t the same silence as before. The moment with the patrol had changed something. The quiet wasn’t just watchful now — it was shared.Arin walked in front with Lena, their heads close as they spoke about something practical the terrain, the slope, the best way to circle toward the foothills without leaving tracks. Their voices were low and steady. Sera was a few steps to the left, scanning the trees with that calm alertness that never seemed to leave her.Alvarez stayed behind us again, the last in line. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. His presence was a boundary. A final wall.Ethan walked beside
Last Updated : 2025-11-04 Read more