Aria's POV
"Drive faster, Godson!" My voice cracked, the words tearing out of me before I could stop them, raw and jagged like glass.
"We're already pushing eighty," he shot back, his hands locked on the wheel. The muscles in his forearms stood out like cables, his knuckles white, jaw set in grim determination. "If I go any faster on this road, we'll flip."
Beside me, Lila lay sprawled across the backseat, her head cradled in my lap. The blanket Damon had wrapped around her was pulled up to her chin, but it couldn't hide the mottled bruises that stained her face.
I traced trembling fingers through her hair, brushing away dirt and dried leaves. Each touch felt like a silent promise I might not be able to keep.
"She's so cold," I whispered, my voice breaking.
"Shock," Godson said without looking back. "We're five minutes out. Hold her steady."
