Chapter 143: Aspen

Saturday. Creed of Truth Sanctuary, Brazil.

ASPEN HUDDLED UNDER THE aged boughs of the tree. Lighting had struck the trunk at one point making it lean and creating this natural shelter.

How long had it been since she'd seen Max?

Half an hour?

Her legs ached from running. The gash on her thigh still stung though it had stopped bleeding.

Where was he?

Had those men caught him? Was he captured like Lumen? Was Aspen all alone again?

Her heart beat furiously against her ribs as she hugged her knees to her chest and began to rock.

It would have been better if she'd never have said anything. If she'd figured out how to be happy where she was. This was all her fault.

The world was wrapped in a blanket of darkness. She kept waiting for the stars to come out and chase some of the night away, but it just seemed to get more and more bleak. Aspen wanted things to go back to how they were. She wanted her brother and to sneak him into her room for snacks.