Chapter 81: The Road Breathes
The road narrowed into a channel of whispering wheat and ruined fences.
Thaddeus walked ahead, quietly clearing snapped branches from the path. Santina lingered near the back, fingertips brushing each hedgerow as if asking permission to pass. Ruby scouted along the shadows — she vanished, appeared again thirty feet ahead, then vanished again like a heartbeat skipping. Gaia walked next to me, barefoot, her toes brushing the dirt like she was greeting an old friend. Helios stayed furthest behind, watching our tracks, gaze constantly scanning rooftops, gutters, tree lines.
Not suspicious.
Vigilant.
He was protecting us without saying he was.
Again.
Hours passed. The night deepened. The air tasted of moss and water. Owls traded lazy gossip across the treeto
