Elena charms an extra fig from another vendor, and I let her eat it while I browse. The market is busy today, full of locals doing their shopping.
Everything is normal. Peaceful.
Then I hear it. Two men standing near the cheese vendor, talking in low voices. But not low enough.
"—found it yesterday. Some hikers stumbled across the wreckage."
"Where?"
"That ravine north of here. You know the one—steep drop, no guardrails. The car must have gone over the edge."
"Anyone inside?"
"Yeah. A burned driver. Dead for weeks, apparently. Body was pretty decomposed and messed up."
"Do they know who it was?"
"Not yet. License plates were destroyed in the crash. They're trying to get the VIN number, trying to identify the vehicle."
I can't breathe. Can't move. The market spins around me.
They found the car. They found Draco.
"Mama?" Elena tugs on my hand. "Are you okay?"
I force myself to move, to smile, to act normal. "I'm fine, baby. Let's pay for these and go home."
My hands shake as I count out euros for the vendor. Too much. I don't care. I just need to get out of here.
Need to get home to Lupo.
I practically drag Elena back to the truck. She's protesting, saying she wanted to see the chickens again, but I can't. Not now.
"We have to go home, baby. Right now."
"But—"
"Now, Elena."
Something in my voice makes her stop arguing. She climbs into the truck, quiet, watching me with worried eyes.
I drive too fast on the winding roads. My mind is racing. They found the body. They'll identify the car. Trace it back to Draco. His people will come looking. They'll ask questions. They'll find out he came here.
They'll find us.
We need to run. Need to pack up and disappear before anyone connects Draco to us.
But where would we go? We have no money. No resources. Nowhere to hide.
And Lupo—what about Lupo?
I can't leave him. Won't leave him.
But staying means putting Elena at risk.
By the time I reach the farm, I'm hyperventilating. Elena is crying, scared by my panic. I park the truck and sit there, gripping the steering wheel, trying to calm down.
"Mama, what's wrong?"
