Silas didn’t answer right away. He stared out into the dark, jaw tight, eyes distant. “Matches burn out,” he said eventually. “But sometimes they start fires.”
Sonia drew her knees closer, her arms wrapped around them. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Silas glanced sideways at her. “You afraid of what’s next?”
“No.” She exhaled. “I’m afraid I’ll stop feeling afraid. That I’ll get used to this fighting, running, bleeding for something we’re not even sure will hold.”
Silas nodded slowly. “But we keep going anyway.”
The door creaked again. Eric leaned on the frame, looking pale but steadier than before. One arm was in a sling now, but his stance was solid. “Am I interrupting?”
Sonia stood immediately. “You should be resting.”
He shrugged with his good shoulder. “I rested enough to know I h
