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“Because you only wanted that one so you could say the word ‘booty’ twenty times.”

Mae looks down, her lips twitching. “It’s funny.”

Finn laughs and ruffles the top of her head. “Fine. Pirate book is back in rotation.”

She leans into the touch for half a second, then pulls away and hops off her chair. “I’ll go get it.”

She leaves the kitchen, her socks sliding a little on the floor. Finn watches her go, then turns back to me.

“You got through to her,” he says quietly.

“I hope so.”

“You did.”

I want to believe him. The hug this morning felt real. She didn’t flinch when I touched her. And she stayed closer this afternoon, circling us both, but never too far out of reach. Andshe is talking. I’ve heard her voice more today than I have in the previous days combined.

Finn moves around the table and pulls out the chair beside me. He sits close enough that our knees brush. I don’t pull away.

“You don’t have to pretend it’s not eating you up,” he says. “I know you’re scared.”

“They’ve been gone all day.”

“I know.”

“You think they’re okay?”

“I do,” he says. “And if they weren’t, we’d know. Jonah’s not subtle. Boone even less so.”

I exhale slowly, my eyes falling to the edge of the table. There’s a small nick in the wood I hadn’t noticed before, and I trace it with my nail.

“I hate not knowing,” I say.

“I know that, too.”

Mae’s footsteps echo down the hallway before I can say more. She enters the kitchen with a book tucked under her arm and a blanket dragging behind her.

“Story time,” she says to Finn.

He gives me a look. “You okay?”

I nod. “Go. I’ll clean up.”

“Leave it. I’ll get it later.”

“I want to.”

His eyes hold mine for a beat longer, then he nods once and follows Mae out of the room. I hear her voice trail off down the hall, something about buried treasure and a parrot with an accent.

I stand slowly and begin gathering the plates. The rhythm helps me relax. Plate, fork, cup. Stack. Rinse. Wipe. The familiar motions ground me. There’s a faint comfort in it, even if my stomach still feels tight.

My worried mind starts up again as I finish cleaning up.

Jonah and Boone are still gone, and I don’t know where they are or what they’re doing. There’s a man out there, likely sent by my family, who is trying to sow seeds of doubt. I don’t think it will work, but he’s still too close for comfort. And if he’s here, it means my family is coming for me. Davit is coming for me.

I’ve had such a small taste of freedom. But it was enough for me to know that I won’t survive the box they were trying to force me into. That is not the life for me.

But there’s still time.