Part of something real and fierce and alive.
A family.
Our family.
I curl my fingers into his shirt, holding on.
And I let myself believe.
Maybe we’re not just surviving anymore.
We’re finally living.
Together.
CHAPTER 22
TRAZ
The walls feel tighter every day.
Like the whole damn city’s shrinking around us, one crumbling block at a time.
Kelli moves quiet through the safehouse, but even she can’t hide the way she flinches every time a shout echoes outside or a hoverbike screeches past the broken windows.
The kids feel it too.
They're quieter.
Eyes always darting to the door.
Waiting.
Worrying.
Same as me.
I pace near the window, checking the street below for the fifth time in ten minutes.
Nothing but shadows and scavengers.
For now.
A soft knock rattles the back door.
Twice, pause, once.
The signal.
I motion to Kelli to stay back, blaster drawn.
She nods, tucking Aria and Joren behind her.
I open the door fast, knife in one hand, blaster in the other.
Silpha stumbles inside, looking worse than I’ve ever seen her.
Face hollow.
