Patricia’s notebook flickers with pointed light whenever Darian drifts too near. Bob inserts himself physically between them more than once — but not aggressively. A wall of shadow and silent judgment.
Mouse growls each time Darian crosses some invisible threshold. Low. Warning.
Darian ignores all of it. Or doesn’t notice. Or doesn’t care.
The Eds still cluster around him, despite losing several of their number to the boulder. Loyal to a fault. Protective in ways I don’t fully understand.
I watch Kaia almost laugh at something Finn says.
I look away immediately.
We stop when the mountain finally forces us to.
The wind is brutal here — cutting sideways across the path with enough force to stagger. There’s no shelter. No caves. No convenient overhangs. Just exposed stone and open sky and cold that seeps through everything.
Everyone is staggering.
Kaia tries to insist we keep going. “We’re so close. We can push through—”
“We can’t.” Finn’s voice is gentle but firm. “Trouble, look at yourself. Look at all of us. We need to rest.”
She opens her mouth to argue.
Closes it.
Nods, once.
Bob circles the perimeter aggressively, bristling at shadows that aren’t there. Mouse curls at Kaia’s feet, a small warm weight against the cold. Finnick attempts to imitate Aspen’s shivering — an exaggerated, full-body convulsion — and Bob shoves him into a snowdrift without breaking patrol stride.
Aspen snorts. It’s the closest thing to laughter we’ve had in days.
I approach her while the others are settling.
“You should take this.” I hold out my coat.
She doesn’t look at me. “I’m fine.”
“You’re freezing.”
“I said I’m fine.”
I let a beat pass. “The path gets worse ahead. You should rest while you can.”
She nods. Still doesn’t look at me.
Her shadows stiffen between us — not aggressive, but watchful. Wary. Like they’re not sure what I’m going to do next.
Neither am I.
I step back. That’s what I do now.
As the group settles in for the night, I find a position at the edge of our makeshift camp. Close enough to respond if needed. Far enough to give her space.
I watch without meaning to. Again. Always.
Darian shifts closer to the group for warmth. His movements are stiff with cold, his face pale.
Kaia shifts to give him room.
