The Return To The Palace

Chapter 64: The return to the palace

Pete crouched near the edge of the clearing, cracking open a nut between two flat stones. The sharp snap broke through the thick quiet, but no one flinched. His hands were steady, but his jaw had been clenched since dusk. Bits of shell scattered in the dirt, and he brushed them aside with the side of his boot, more to occupy his mind than out of hunger.

The forest had quieted, but inside the camp, unease rippled louder than birdsong.

A small fire crackled in the clearing, low and watchful. The scent of damp moss and pine mingled with the smoke. Valerie stood apart from the others, arms crossed tightly, as if trying to hold herself together. Her eyes followed Odi as she prepared her pack, slow and methodical, like someone wrapping a goodbye.

Pete watched her too, but from the corner of his eye, the way one watches something they hope might still change.