I sprinted through the compound, my heart pounding in my chest. Ryder was right behind me, his footsteps matching mine, but I could barely focus on anything other than the cabin up ahead. The familiar smell of pine trees and earth filled the air, the soft glow of the setting sun casting long shadows over the ground. We had made it back. We were home.
Without thinking, I pushed the door open and rushed inside. The smell of something cooking filled my nose—rosemary and thyme, maybe a roast? But that wasn’t important right now. My eyes locked on the figure standing in the kitchen. My mother.
Her back was turned, and she was humming softly to herself as she stirred a pot. I didn’t stop. I didn’t even give her a warning. I ran straight toward her, my feet carrying me faster than my mind could
