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“Yeah,” she says.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
“Yeah, I am.”
39
Tessa
It’s quiet when we get back.
Too quiet.
The kind of quiet that doesn’t feel peaceful—
It feels empty.
Like something loud should still be happening.
Like my body hasn’t caught up to the fact that it’s over.
The others move around us.
Low voices.
Gear being set down.
Doors opening and closing.
Normal sounds.
But none of it feels real.
Not yet.
Because my hands are still shaking.
Because my heart still hasn’t slowed down.
Because I can still see him—
Falling.
Gone.
“Tess.”
Ace’s voice.
Close.
Grounding.
I turn toward him.
And that’s it.
