He angled west, climbing steadily, keeping the slope between them and anything that might be following. Steep terrain slowed trackers. Forced mistakes.
Rylie stayed close behind him, breath controlled, footing careful. She didn’t ask questions. Didn’t complain. Every fewminutes, he glanced back just long enough to confirm she was still with him.
She always was.
After an hour, her breathing changed—subtle, but he caught it. He slowed, adjusting his stride without saying a word.
When they reached a narrow ridge with rock outcroppings thick enough to break sightlines, he lifted a hand and stopped.
Rylie froze instantly.
He turned, scanning her face. “You good?”
She nodded, wiping sweat from her temple, even though the weather was still cool, “I can keep going.”
“I know,” he said. “We’re still stopping.”
He guided her to a low boulder, crouching beside her while his eyes stayed on the tree line.
“You’re doing great,” he said quietly. Not flattery. Fact.
She swallowed, nodding once. “They close?”
“Close enough, I don’t like it,” he admitted.
That earned him a steady look. “Then we keep moving when you’re ready.”
Something warm settled in his chest.
He handed her water, watching while she drank, cataloging everything without meaning to—the way her hands didn’t shake, the way she stayed alert even while resting.
“You ever hike like this before?” he asked.
She nodded her head. “Yes. I love hiking. I know how not to be a liability.”
“You’re not,” he said immediately.
Her gaze flicked to his. “I know.”
That confidence—quiet, earned—hit him harder than fear ever could.
He stood first, offering his hand without thinking.
She took it.
The contact lingered a second longer than necessary, grounding both of them before he released her and turned back to the ridge.
“We’ll drop into the ravine ahead,” he said. “Water masks tracks. Slows dogs.”
“And us?”
“Everything slows here,” he replied. “That’s the point.”
They moved again.
The terrain grew harsher—slick stones, uneven footing, the sound of running water growing louder as the ravine opened beneath them. Trigger went first, testing each step, bracing when needed so Rylie could pass safely.
Once, she slipped.
