Back at Nova's cabin, the air was thick with unease. The firewood crackled faintly in the hearth, untouched for hours. Nova paced the living room, arms crossed tightly, her eyes darting to the clock again and again. The silence clawed at her nerves, every second that passed making her thoughts spiral.
"It’s been too long," she muttered. Her voice barely carried above the crackle of the fire.
Kade sat on the couch, one leg propped up, flipping a knife idly in one hand. His calmness felt like a slap against her nerves. "Thorn’s not going to let anything happen to him, Nova. I trust him with River the same way I’d trust my father."
Nova shook her head and turned sharply, her bare feet padding quickly across the wooden floor. "But what if something happened? What if they ran into trouble ou
