Felix walks in front of us with a stiffness I have never seen in him before. Not the tense readiness he gets before a fight. Not the battle stance he switches into when someone looks at Ember the wrong way. This is something else. Something softer. Something shaking under his ribs.
Lira stays close to him. So close she keeps brushing against his arm, her fingers clutching the fabric of his sleeve like she thinks he might evaporate if she lets go.
Her steps are small and hesitant, and she keeps glancing over her shoulder as if she expects the trees to sprout teeth and chase her. The way she moves reminds me of a startled deer, all delicate limbs and wide eyes, terrified of everything except the one person she cannot stop staring at.
Felix slows his pace so she can keep up, moving with th
