“You don’t get to decide that for me.”
“The hell I don’t.”
The words come low and dangerous now.
Russ steps closer.
Too close.
“You’re bleeding through your bandage.”
“And you’re not exactly untouched either.”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
His jaw flexes hard.
Then quietly—
“Because it’s you.”
That steals every remaining word from my mouth.
The ridge goes silent around us.
Even the wind feels quieter suddenly.
Russ looks just as caught off guard by what he said as I feel.
But he doesn’t take it back.
Doesn’t look away.
And somehow that’s worse.
Lucas finally breaks the tension. “We need a plan now.”
Right.
Mission.
Focus.
I force myself to breathe through the chaos suddenly crashing through my chest.
“We stay together,” I say finally. “Higher ground. Use the rock shadows for cover.”
Clay nods slowly. “Better concealment.”
Miles shrugs. “Less suicidal than splitting up.”
Lucas studies the valley another second before nodding once.
Russ says nothing immediately.
He just keeps looking at me like the argument isn’t over.
