“They died.”
A lump formed in my throat. I prayed she hadn’t seen us haul her parents from the water.
“What happened, sweetheart?” I asked gently. “Did the horses spook?”
Rosie shrugged, clasping her hands at her hips as she twisted back and forth, her small frame shifting in the cold air.
“Do you think anyone’s looking for her?” Emily whispered behind me.
I scanned the endless stretch of wilderness—the skeletal trees, the untouched snow, the gray sky pressing down like a leaden weight—but nothing. No one.
“Look around, Em. There’s no one for miles,” I murmured. “We haven’t seen another soul in days. Let’s take care of her.”
Emily’s breath hitched. “Are you insane?” she hissed. “Balthazar is hunting us. We’re barely surviving as it is. You want to drag a child into this?”
I grabbed her wrist and pulled her a few steps away, lowering my voice. “Keep your voice down. She could hear you.”
Emily’s expression twisted in frustration. “You can’t honestly believe taking her with us is a good idea. She’s a child, Olivia. A helpless one. You want to put her in harm’s way?”
I exhaled sharply. “Can’t you see? It could be a sign.” My voice dropped to a whisper. “Look at her, Emily. She looks like Roman. Maybe fate put her in our path because I lost my child. Maybe I’m meant to protect her.”
Emily scoffed, throwing up her hands. “Don’t be ridiculous. She needs real care, not to be hauled on horseback by two women who can barely care for themselves.”
“But we have more food now. You saw the supplies her parents had—that’ll last us a good while. And she needs to eat too. What are we supposed to do, take their food and leave her to fend for herself?” I gestured toward Rosie. “She’s five, Emily. Five.”
Emily clenched her jaw, her silence stretching between us like a chasm. Then, with an angry exhale, she agreed, “Fine. But if she slows us down or something happens to us because of her, I’ll be the first to say I told you so.”
“I know you’re scared,” I said, softening my voice. “But nothing’s going to happen to her—or us. We’ve made it this far, haven’t we?”
Emily let out an exasperated huff, but I ignored her, turning back to Rosie?—
Except… she was gone.
Panic shot through me. My stomach lurched.
“Rosie?” My voice raised. “Rosie, where are you?”
No answer.
A horse whinnied behind me.
I whipped around, expecting to see Balthazar emerging from the trees, dread clawing at my ribs?—
But it was Rosie.
She stood by one of the horses, small hands pressed gently against its muzzle.
Relief nearly buckled my knees. “Oh, thank God,” I breathed, pressing a hand to my pounding heart.
She turned her solemn eyes toward me, unbothered by my near panic.
I knelt beside her. “Sweetheart, guess what? Emily and I are going to take you with us.”
Her tiny fingers curled into the horse’s mane. For the first time, her lips twitched—not quite a smile, but close.
And just like that, fate sealed itself.
***
