The clearing was still, but silence didn’t feel like safety. It felt like the pause between heartbeats, the quiet before a storm broke open.
Adrian sagged against me, his body trembling from exhaustion and pain. My hands shook as I held his face, streaked with blood and dirt. His lips moved, but no sound came at first, only a ragged gasp.
“Emma,” he finally managed, his voice hoarse. “We can’t stay here.”
I brushed the sweat-soaked hair from his forehead, my throat burning. “You’re bleeding. You need to rest, to heal. If we move now...”
He shook his head weakly, his hand fumbling for mine. “If we stay, he’ll find us again. He’s watching. Always watching.”
The words struck deep, because I knew he was right. Daniel wasn’t the kind of man to give up. He had tasted betrayal, and now it wa
