Later
that night, under the whispering trees and the slumbering stars, Luca and I curled into each other in our lean-to. I pressed my face to his chest, letting the sound of his heartbeat ground me. His arms wrapped tight around me, his breath warm against my hair.
It was peaceful, but for how long?
I was no fortune teller, but the peace didn't last till the next morning. We were woken by urgent footsteps and Revik’s sharp voice slicing through the crisp morning air.
“Get up. Now.”
Luca and I scrambled upright, hearts pounding. “What’s happening?” I asked, shoving on my boots.
“Alexa’s scouts were spotted near the southern ridge,” Revik snapped. “Too many. We've been running from them for a while now, we can't let them catch up to us. Especially now you're with us.”
The camp was ali
