A rustle drew their attention to the left, and Jude held his breath as three figures emerged from the trees. For a moment, his heart lifted, until he saw their faces.
Natalie. Lucy. Grace.
Their movements were slow, sensual. Their smiles were too calm. Their eyes shone faintly, as if lit from within. All three of them walked toward the fire like they'd never left, their bare feet silent on the ground.
Lucy was the first to speak. "It's a beautiful morning."
Emma's grip on the axe tightened. "You shouldn't be here."
"But we missed you," Natalie said, her voice a smooth melody that made Jude's skin prickle. "Didn't you miss us?"
Sophie stepped in front of him instinctively. "What do you want?"
"We want you to stop running," Grace said. "You don't need to fight. You never did."
"You're not yourselves," Jude said.
Lucy tilted her head. "Or maybe we're more ourselves now than we've ever been."