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No one argued. We were too fucking tired to argue.

We moved like people who had seen something they shouldn’t have ever had to see, who had been to the edge of hell and barely fought our way back. Varek and Rowan cleared a space for a fire pit, their movements spare and methodical. I grabbed the nearest fallen log and dropped it near the fire pit, my hands aching as I ran them through my hair, trying to shake off the horror we’d experienced. Lia gathered fallen branches for us to burn.

Sitting down next to me, Lia pulled the blanket I had given her around her shoulders. She didn’t speak. None of us did.

The fire flickered to life, the only sound the distant rustling of the trees, the occasional snap of wood as Rowan fed another branch into the flames. Lia moved beside me, hesitating before reaching for my hand, lacing her fingers with mine.

I clenched my jaw, looking down at our joined hands, feeling the warmth of her skin, the beautiful, quiet presence of her beside me.

We had survived, but it didn’t feel like a victory right now. It felt like we had barely crawled out of a grave that had already been dug especially for us. The loss of Ryan, Hale, and Caleb was a heavy weight in my chest.

Rowan exhaled loudly, running a hand through his own matted hair, his expression mournful. “I’ll take first watch.” His voice was rough, full of the quiet grief none of us were ready to put into words.

Varek grunted, rubbing at his side where one of the Nyktos had sliced him. “Wake me in a few hours.” Without another word, he stood, stretching before disappearing into his bedroll, leaving just Lia and me by the fire.

The silence stretched between us, profound and almost palpable.

Lia sat close to me, her face turned toward the flames. The firelight flickered against her skin, catching the gentle curve of her cheekbones in the soft light. Her hair was still a mess from the fight, her lips chapped, her body covered in slashes and bruises, dirt and dried blood.

She had never looked stronger or more beautiful.

I shifted slightly, adjusting my weight as I turned toward her. “You did well today, Wildcat.”

Lia blinked, glancing up at me, uncertainty in her eyes. “I almost died,” she muttered.

“We all almost died,” I replied gently.

She huffed, shaking her head, but I saw the small, reluctant smile lift the corner of her mouth.

I exhaled slowly, reaching out, brushing my fingers over her skin, tracing the cuts and bruises that peppered her body.

“I mean it, Lia. You fought damn well.” My jaw tightened. “If you hadn’t come for us, we’d be dead.”

Her lips parted slightly, like she wasn’t sure how to respond.

I let my hand trail down her arm, just feeling the warmth of her skin, the steady beat of her pulse beneath my touch.

“You saved me,” I murmured, my voice gruff with emotion. “You saved all of us.”

Lia swallowed, her breath catching. “You told me to run. I did, a long way, but I came back. I disobeyed you.”

“I did tell you to run.” I let my hand drift higher, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, letting my fingers linger on her face. “And you didn’t listen.” I smirked. “For once, I’m glad you disobeyed me.”

She laughed softly, but the sound was thick. “I was terrified,” she admitted.

I nodded. “So was I.”

Her gaze flickered to mine, momentarily surprised by my admission.

“But we made it,” she whispered, and a little smile broke through.

I ran my thumb along the curve of her cheek, savoring the way she leaned into my touch, trusting me, needing me as much as I needed her.

“Yeah,” I murmured. “We did.”

I wanted to say more. I wanted to tell her how much I needed her, how I had spent years trying to convince myself that leaving her behind had been the right choice—only to realize that nothing had ever felt right without her. Now wasn’t the time, though.

Instead, I leaned in, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to her forehead. She relaxed a little and reached for me, running her hands over my arms as though reassuring herself I was still there, strong and solid.