The crowded streets of Clan One pressed in on them like a living thing, narrow alleys spilling into wider avenues that crawled with life.
Erik moved with a precision that unsettled Rey. Every turn, every shortcut through shadowed archways and crowded markets that they took felt planned. Too confident, too deliberate.
It wasn't the frantic scramble of a man desperate to survive without knowledge or plans. It was the stride of someone who knew exactly where to go.
Rey's breath came sharp and shallow as she followed, her hand trapped in his firm grip. His palm was clammy with sweat, his pace merciless, tugging her along with a force that left no room for hesitation.
She glanced around at the milling bodies, the merchants shouting over crates of fruit, and the clatter of hooves against
