Each sound of a tree sending a fresh wave of anxiety through me. The weight of Sebastian's words—"We fight"—hung heavy in the air. I wasn’t a fighter; I didn’t even know how to defend myself. The thought of what might happen if the enemy found us made my chest tighten.
Sebastian moved around the cabin with a calm efficiency that felt unnerving. He checked the locks on the doors and windows, his movements precise and deliberate. He had the air of someone who had done this before, someone who had been preparing for battle his entire life.
I sat at the small dining table, my hands clasped tightly in my lap. The silence between us stretched, heavy and oppressive. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Sebastian,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
He glanced at me from across the room
