Chapter 33-
The first hint of dawn was a pale silver glow threading through the trees. Mist rose off the river, curling in soft tendrils that clung to Valerie's skin. She stirred, the water's coolness gone now, replaced by the warmth of Jace's arm draped across her waist.
For a moment, she just lay there against him, her cheek resting on his bare chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing. It was strange—after everything they'd run from, everything they'd seen, she felt… safe.
Jace's fingers moved lazily through her damp hair. "Morning," he murmured, voice rough from sleep.
"Morning," she whispered back, a small smile touching her lips. Her body still remembered every moment from the night before, every shiver, every stolen breath. The memory sent a heat through her cheeks.
He tilted her chin up, eyes searching hers. "You okay?"
Valerie nodded. "Better than I should be."
His gaze softened, but then it shifted—sharpened—when a distant branch snapped somewhere upstream. The forest's quiet suddenly felt too quiet.
In an instant, the easy warmth between them was replaced by alertness. Jace was already pulling on his shirt, tossing her clothes to her. "We have to go. Now."
They waded out of the river, feet sinking into the damp earth. Her parents, Ethan, Lena, and Keal were waiting just beyond the treeline, relief flooding their faces when they saw the two emerge.
"Where were you?" her father demanded, but there wasn't time for an answer.
Jace took Valerie's hand, his grip tightening. "They're close. We move."
The group started forward again, weaving through the misty forest, the river's sound fading behind them. Valerie cast one last glance over her shoulder, where moonlight had danced on water only hours before.
She didn't know if they'd ever have another moment like that—if they'd even survive long enough for it. But for now, she carried it with her, hidden deep inside, a spark of something warm in a world gone cold.