I unlock the back door and ease it open. The cold air hits me, shocking my lungs. I step onto the deck, my bare feet numb against the wood.
The raccoon is there, huddled near the wall. He looks up at me, his masked face twitching.
“Hey,” I whisper. “I know. It’s cold.”
I set the saucer down near him. He hesitates, then waddles over, dipping his paws into the water and drinking greedily.
I crouch there, watching him, feeling a strange sense of calm settle over me. He’s just an animal trying to survive. Like me.
“Mommy!”
The scream tears through the night, high-pitched and terrified.
I’m on my feet instantly, the raccoon scurrying into the shadows. I sprint back into the house, slamming the door. The scream came from the bedroom.
“Maisie!”
I run down the hallway, my heart in my throat. I burst into the room.
Maisie is sitting up in bed, her hands clutched in the duvet, her face wet with tears. The lamp is on, a harsh yellow light flooding the room.
“Mommy! The floor!” she sobs, pointing a shaking finger at the rug. “It’s gone! It’s all gone!”
I rush to the bed, scooping her up into my arms. “I’m here. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
“I fell and there was nothing!” she cries, burying her face in my neck. “I kept falling and no one caught me.”
I rock her, my hand stroking her back, my own heart racing. “It was just a dream, bug. Just a bad dream. The floor is right here. Feel it?” I keep one hand under her, patting the mattress with the other. “Solid. We’re safe.”
Footsteps thunder in the hallway.
The door flies open. Jude is there first, shirtless, his hair wild, a baseball bat in his hand. Ryker is right behind him, looking ready to fight a bear. Dorian and Norah are in the hallway, pale and worried.
“What happened?” Jude demands, his eyes scanning the room for an intruder. “Is someone here?”
“No,” I say, not loosening my grip on Maisie. “She had a nightmare.”
Everyone deflates. Jude lowers the bat, his shoulders dropping.
“Oh, thank god,” Norah breathes, leaning against Dorian.
“I’ll take her,” Jude says, stepping forward. “You look like you’re about to pass out, Amber.”
“No.” I pull Maisie tighter. “I’ve got this. You guys go back to bed.”
“Are you sure?” Ryker asks, frowning. “It’s three a.m.”
“I’m sure,” I insist. I need this. I need to be the one who fixes it. I need to prove that I can handle my daughter without a village, even if the village is standing right there. “Please. Just... go back to sleep.”
They hesitate for a moment, looking at my strained face. Jude searches my eyes, then nods slowly.
“Okay. Call us if you need anything,” he says. “Anything at all.”
They file out, closing the door softly. The house settles back into silence, except for Maisie’s hiccuping sobs.
I lie down with her, pulling the covers up. She curls into my side, her small body shivering.
“I was falling forever,” she whispers. “You weren’t there.”
