Page 205 of Caelum

But until then, all we could do was breathe and try to strengthen up with some sleep, which is what we did.

When Samuel’s phone buzzed, I awoke and knew most of the Pack did too. Nestor was awake at last, but Eve wasn’t. She was still slumped in my arms, and even though I’d enjoyed the armful, and had been surprised one of the others hadn’t tried to take her from me, I would have preferred she be awake.

“Another forty minutes until sunset,” Samuel rasped as he stared down at the screen of his cell.

I peered out of the cave’s mouth and nodded my agreement with that. Purple and orange, pink and gold had morphed into one large patchwork quilt that was growing darker with every minute.

Clambering to my feet meant passing Eve over to Reed, who held her to him like she was a living, breathing teddy bear. I let him, was grateful for how long I’d got to hold her—a thought I’d never imagined crossing my mind before today—and straightened with a groan.

As the sun died, we headed outside. The purr of a dinghy made itself known to us, and as we stared out to sea, I saw a flick of a torch that guided our path.

Within ten minutes, we were on board, Eve was in Eren’s arms this time, and I had my back to my brothers as I gazed out into the distance.

Caelum was there, and the lights were blazing.

They were alive.

They were aware.

And they were a danger to us.

The haven, which had been inside that building, was no more—my life up until that point was no more.

I turned my back on the past, literally and figuratively, then twisted so I could look at Eve. She’d finally begun to stir, almost as though she knew the danger was a little less imminent and she was safe to awaken.

As her eyes flickered open, they snared mine like a hunter’s trap would snare a rabbit.

Behind me was the past, and right ahead of me?

The future.

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