Night crept across the sky as their camp slowly took shape beneath fading light.
Fires were lit, tents secured, and the restless energy from earlier finally began to settle. The chaos of betrayal, battle, and revelation lingered in the air, but exhaustion dulled its edge.
Hayes approached Ethan, her face faintly flushed. Ethan glanced up from where he sat and flashed an easy grin.
She immediately shot him an irritated look in return.
Without saying a word, she grabbed Brock by the arm and dragged him away again. Brock clutched the watermelon Ethan had casually produced earlier as if it were a priceless artifact. Even while being pulled along, he refused to loosen his grip. Vale hovered nearby with his swollen, pig-like face, staring longingly at the fruit.
Vale clearly wanted a share.
So did Riley.
