“I’ve got you,” I said quietly, more to remind her than reassure myself.
Her hands tightened slightly in the blanket.
We moved like that for several minutes, until the path narrowed further, twisting into a jagged descent that the chair couldn’t safely navigate.
I stopped.
Measured the slope.
Then made the decision.
Without a word, I stepped around her, crouched slightly, and slid one arm beneath her knees, the other behind her back.
Careful.
Her body tensed for half a second as I lifted her, instinct kicking in.
Then she relaxed.
Her arms slipped around my neck, fingers curling into the back of my shirt. Her face pressed against my shoulder, breath warm against my skin despite the cold air around us.
I adjusted my grip slightly, ensuring her weight was supported without pressure on her stomach.
Protected.
Then I moved.
One step at a time.
Down the uneven descent.
Each foothold tested before I shifted my weight.
By the time we reached the base, the world opened up again.
The mountains gave way to something wider.
A clearing stretched out before us, carved cleanly into the landscape.
And waiting within it—
Power.
A line of black SUVs circled the space, engines idling, vibrations running low through the ground. Their tinted windows caught the pale morning sky and gave nothing back.
Men stood at intervals around them.
Still.
Alert.
Dressed in dark suits that concealed more than they revealed.
Rifles hung loose at their sides like they’d been born holding them. Earpieces caught the light. Their eyes never stopped moving.
My system. My army.
Enough to start a war.
