Even herself.
Barely.
We moved out again a minute later.
Back into the freezing dark.
Back into uncertainty.
By the time Lucas finally stopped near another stretch of rock hours later, everyone looked half-dead on their feet.
Olivia slipped outside alone the second we settled in.
I counted to thirty before following her.
Cold air slapped into me immediately.
She stood beside the outer wall with her arms wrapped tightly around herself, face tipped toward the black sky.
Breath fogged in front of her.
She didn’t look up when I approached.
“You always disappear when things get quiet?”
Her eyes opened slowly. “I’m standing ten feet from the door.”
“Still hiding.”
“I needed air.”
The wind whipped loose strands of hair across her face.
“You’re freezing.”
“I’ve been colder.”
Something about the way she said it made my chest tighten.
Like that answer came from experience instead of sarcasm.
I stepped closer anyway.
“You almost lost him.”
Her gaze dropped toward the ground. “I know.”
“But you didn’t.”
“That doesn’t erase the almost.”
No.
It didn’t.
The silence stretched between us.
Inside the safehouse, I could hear muffled voices. Children coughing. Boots scraping against stone.
