Night settled in heavy and it didn’t bring quiet. The property stayed lit and moving as patrols rotated and voices stayed low and sharp.
Security was tighter than it had been but it felt stretched anyway. There were more eyes than before but not enough to cover everything.
I stood near the porch and watched the outer line shift as two riders traded positions. Drake moved along the edge like a shadow that didn’t miss anything.
“You’re still here.” He said as he came up beside me.
“I live here.” I replied.
“You know what I mean.” He said.
“I’m not hiding.” I said.
“I didn’t ask you to hide.” He replied.
“You implied it.” I said.
He didn’t argue and that told me he knew I was right. A laugh broke from near the side of the house and it sounded wrong. It was too sharp and too fo
