The camp was a blur of motion now.
tents coming down
cans of food stuffed in bags
water drums siphoned into smaller bottles
metal clinks / boots / breath
everyone moved with the kind of panic that wasn't loud
just practised.
Alva and Kai stepped to the SUV — Kai opened the back hatch so they could reorganize the crates they'd taken earlier.
Nox and Arden were talking to Jace ten metres away — comparing routes / possible ambush points.
Alva shifted a med–crate to the left — Kai reached over her shoulder at the same moment.
their hands brushed.
Alva didn't flinch — but her pulse jumped once.
Kai noticed.
he leaned his elbow casually on the inside frame of the trunk.
"so," he said quietly, "you like giving big speeches now?"
Alva kept stacking ammo packs.
"it wasn't a speech. it was instruction."
Kai: "instruction… motivation… same thing."
Alva: "no. different weight."
Kai tilted his head slightly — eyes narrowing in a lazy grin.
"you know… Jace looked at you like you'd walk water if you tried."
Alva didn't look up.
but her voice sharpened with that dry edge she had when she got annoyed:
"sounds like jealousy."
Kai pushed off the trunk lightly — like the words hit a switch.
he stepped close enough that his voice dropped lower — not loud
just directly for her:
"no. it's not jealousy if I already had the front seat."
Alva finally glanced up — just one second — eyes meeting his.
quiet electricity.
then she closed the crate sharply — not angry — just cutting the moment clean.
"finish tightening the straps," she said. "we have nineteen people who need wheels when night comes."
Kai smirked again — softer this time — almost… respectful.
"yes, commander."
she rolled her eyes — but the tiniest curve tugged her lip.
only for half a second.
Arden called out across the yard:
"fifteen minutes! anything not packed by then stays!"
Jace was giving orders to his people now — but he still kept glancing toward Alva like she was a compass he didn't know he needed.
and Alva…
she didn't shrink from it.
she looked… steady.
the vault wasn't a fluke.
she knew she was awakening now.
and she wasn't afraid of it anymore.