The storm broke with the dawn.
By the time Adrian and I stumbled back into the cabin, the rain had slowed to a soft drizzle, the trees dripping with the aftermath. My clothes clung to me, plastered with mud and blood, my body trembling from exhaustion. Every bone ached, every nerve screamed, but the worst pain lived inside me—the memory of Daniel’s eyes as he vanished into the woods.
Not gone. Just waiting.
I lowered Adrian onto the couch, his face pale, lips drawn tight. The cut along his ribs had bled through his shirt, the fabric dark and sticky.
“Stay awake,” I whispered, brushing his damp hair from his forehead. “Please, Adrian. Don’t leave me now.”
He grunted, half a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
His humor was weak, but it steadied me.
I gra
