EMBER’S POV
He’s striding toward us across the snow, perfectly composed, like he wasn’t just dismantling my sense of reality way earlier this morning.
“I hope everyone slept well. We have a full day planned, so I suggest we fuel up at breakfast and then meet by the dog sleds in an hour. Rayana will be joining us to watch, assuming she’s feeling up to it.”
Knox is still looking at me, something unfinished in his expression.
“We should go,” I say, not meeting his eyes. “We don’t want to be late.”
I walk toward the main cabin before he can respond, leaving him standing in the snow with his cooling hot chocolate and a conversation that ended before it really began.
Breakfast passes in a blur of polite conversation and forced smiles.
Rayana presides over the table with her usual brittle
