I hugged Marcus tightly. My hands trembled as I cradled his small frame against my chest. I pressed a firm kiss to his forehead, inhaling deeply, as if I could anchor myself with the scent of my child. My heart fluttered as I smelled a familiar scent lingering around Marcus.
'No way...' I thought, with parted lips. 'I know this scent well...'
But I did not want to dwell on the thought and just whispered to Marcus, "Don't ever go out alone again. Promise me, Marcus. No more running off."
Marcus, still grinning, didn't seem to understand the weight of my words.
"But Mama, I didn't really run away," he argued, like an innocent kid would. His small hands tugged at my sleeves. "I was hiding behind a tree!" he said. "We were playing hide and seek! And then—"
His face suddenly shifted, and his smile faded. As Gideon, Sarah, and Wilhelm stood around us, Marcus looked up at me, brows knitting together.
