Comforting.
I caught only fragments through my damaged hearing aid, the sound slightly distorted—but the meaning was clear.
You’re safe.
Keep going.
Each step up the stairs sent a new wave of pain through my body.
My muscles shook. My knees threatened to buckle.
Ethan stayed close behind me, his hands hovering in case I slipped.
When we reached the top, he guided me through the narrow cabin doorway.
Cool air wrapped around me instantly.
The scent of leather and polished metal replaced the smell of blood and smoke that had followed me for weeks.
The interior was dimly lit.
Soft amber strips ran along the floor edges.
The seats were deep cream leather—wide, plush, capable of reclining into flat beds.
Luxury disguised as mobility. Escape disguised as comfort.
I collapsed into the nearest seat.
The leather molded around my body, cradling my sore muscles in something almost gentle.
My wrist throbbed painfully where I had pressed the knife against my skin earlier.
The thin cut had dried into a crusted line of dark red.
It burned whenever I flexed my fingers.
I shifted onto my side and curled inward instinctively.
Knees drawn up. Arms tucked close. Making myself small.
Invisible. Safe.
Dario stepped in last and pressed the button to seal the cabin door.
It shut with a quiet mechanical hiss.
Locked. Secure.
Engines outside spooled higher.
The vibration intensified beneath my body as the aircraft prepared to move.
I felt it in my ribs.
In my teeth. In my bones.
The jet began to roll forward, slowly at first as it taxied toward the runway.
