By midday the scent was faint but still there, carried on the shifting wind. I crouched low, fingers grazing the dirt where the tracks led, my eyes narrowing as I took in the signs of movement. She had passed through here recently—maybe a day or two ago.
“She’s smart,” Alex murmured beside me, arms crossed. “Stayed near the water when she could, masked her trail when it was easy.” He let out a low breath. “But she was exhausted. You can tell by the way her steps started dragging toward the end.”
I grunted in agreement. “She stopped here for a reason.” My gaze lifted toward the jagged rock formation ahead, it's dark entrance yawning like the mouth of a beast. A cave.
Alex approached from the side, his expression unreadable. “If she stayed here, she likely needed shelter. Which means she
