Chloe’s pov
The thunderous roar of the waterfall behind our cave had settled into a steady, distant hum, but my stomach was in violent knots.
I scrambled up from my dry blanket, my knees wobbly as a sharp, overwhelming wave of nausea hit my chest. I rushed to the far corner of the cavern, dropping to my hands and knees by the icy edge of the mountain stream and throwing up into the cold water.
My body shook with deep, violent heaves. Sweat broke out across my forehead, my dark hair falling loose around my face as the cold air bit into my damp skin.
The frantic escape through the burning forest, the freezing rain, and the constant, crushing stress of the past two days had finally caught up with me.
A gentle, warm hand rested over my back, smoothing my hair away from my face.
"Breathe,
