I stood at the edge of the tent’s screened wall. My reflection blurred across the mesh and shadow. Outside, the ridge was a jagged black cut against a bruised sky.
Nick appeared a moment later, stepping out of the dark at the edge of the deck. He paused there, one hand low beside his thigh, the dark outline of his sidearm visible against his leg as his attention moved across the boards, the rail, the stairs, and the canvas flap I’d secured.
“Juliette.”
His voice carried low through the canvas.
“I’m here,” I said.
The flap stayed sealed.
“Entrance secured?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Unfasten it, then stay inside.”
His footsteps crossed the boards. Nick’s silhouette didn't move. He stood at the threshold, his focus already shifting toward the dark corner of the deck where the stairs met the timber. “Did you see it?” he asked quietly.
“No. Just heard it.”
“What kind of sound?”
“Weight,” I said. “Measured. Deliberate. It didn’t pause at the stairs, which suggests it’s been here before. Claws on timber, three distinct strikes.”
Nick’s silhouette didn't move. “Three strikes. You’re sure?”
“I don't miscount evidence, Nick.”
He nodded, a sharp, decisive motion. He returned to the flap but didn’t cross the threshold. “Open it two inches. No farther.”
I did. The night air slipped inside immediately, cool and heavy with Tamboti and rain-damp earth. Nick stayed just beyond the threshold, his presence turning the entrance into a boundary.
“Something was here,” he said. “Fresh tracks on the stairs.”
“What kind?”
“Still deciding.” His gaze moved briefly over my shoulder, checking the room before returning to me. He took in the damp hair, the tank top, and the bare legs. His jaw tightened for a split second. “You alright?”
“Yes.” My pulse disagreed, but I ignored it. “What are the likely candidates?”
“Hyena,” he said. “Maybe a leopard.”
“That is an unnecessary amount of calm for the wordleopard.”
His mouth twitched. “I’m going to take a look around the deck.”
“I assumed as much.”
He studied me for a beat. “Stay inside. That’s not optional.”
“I could,” I said.
“You won’t.”
The words were quiet. Absolute.
“I heard it better than you did.”
