I wrapped my hands around the mug and tried to enjoy the heat, but the warmth could not chase away the prickle that crept up my neck. Thorne had left the cabin again, and I was merely waiting for him to return. But something didn’t feel right, and I sighed softly as I got to my feet. Thorne had gone to follow the tracks. He said he wouldn’t be long. He had told me to stay inside and to lock the door twice. Which I had done. Still, the silence pressed so hard it felt like a weight across my ribs.
You are fine, I told myself. You are not prey.
“We are not prey,” Ray said, her voice low and steady in my chest. “Just breathe…count the beats. Five in, five out,” I did as she suggested, and the tightness eased enough that I felt a bit better. The wind scraped a branch along the outer wall. A
