Noah didn’t speak.
Didn’t ask questions.
He just kept up.
By the time the trees began to thin and I caught the faint outline of the clearing ahead, relief didn’t come.
Because open ground meant exposure.
And exposure meant risk.
I slowed, scanning carefully before stepping out, my eyes adjusting to the shift in light. The SUVs were exactly where Kael said they would be—dark, quiet, parked in a way that blended just enough into the environment to avoid immediate attention.
But they weren’t alone.
Two figures moved near them, their flashlights cutting sharp beams through the darkness as they circled one of the vehicles.
Brent’s men.
My heart kicked hard against my ribs, and I dropped back instantly, pulling Noah with me into the cover of the trees.
“Stay down,” I murmured, keeping
