The journey back through the mountain took two hours.
Moving quickly, staying in heavy tree cover to minimize visibility. Liam walked between Aria and Xavier for most of it, holding both their hands, saying very little. The exhaustion was finally catching up with him, the adrenaline that had carried him through the night was fading, and his steps were growing heavier.
Around the midpoint, he fell asleep on his feet.
One moment he was walking; the next, his eyes were closed and his body was tilting. Xavier caught him before he hit the ground, lifting him into his arms without a word. Liam's head lolled against his father's shoulder, his small hand still loosely gripping Xavier's shirt.
Aria watched them and felt something c***k open in her chest.
He's safe, she thought. He's actually s
