CHAPTER 2
Timeline: 1 Month After the Binding — Day 2 of the Journey
The road stretched endless and empty, cutting through dark pine forests and rolling hills. We’d been driving for six hours, the silence broken only by the hum of the engine and the low murmur of voices from the front seats. Cole drove, one hand resting easy on the wheel, the other draped over my thigh, his thumb brushing slow, steady circles against my jeans. Knox sat beside him, navigating from Elara’s map, his gaze flicking constantly between the road and the rearview mirror.
In the back, Jax was dozing with his head against the window, Zane reviewing a list of supplies, and Micah watching the trees blur past like he could see every shadow. Elara rode in the lead vehicle, a lone figure behind the wheel, quiet and un
