*Ava*
Tomas and Matius kept four horses hidden, and now we ride hard, weaving through thick woods beyond the city walls.
I can barely believe I’m free. After everything–the ropes, the threats, the pain and terror–I’m alive and moving toward something that feels like safety.
Tomas leads us down a narrow dirt road lined with olive trees, the moon casting light on the path ahead. “My abuelo’s house isn’t far,” he says. “We’ll be safe there until morning.”
When we reach the village, it’s quiet, small, almost forgotten by the rest of the world. The houses are simple, stone and wood, worn by years of wind and sun.
A beautiful young woman greets us at the doorway of a modest house. Tomas introduces her as his cousin, Samira, and quietly explains to her the danger we’re in.
“Abuelo is restin
