Ashleigh slipped away from camp just after finishing her food. She had already done a cursory sweep of the area and felt confident that they would be safe while she visited the village. She expected to only be gone for a couple of hours at most. Plenty of time for Myka to get the camp stored away and prepare the children to begin the hike back down the mountain.
As she walked through the trees, she thought about her last time there. She and Caleb had worn heavy armor, she remembered how uncomfortable it was for her, but he moved with ease. It had irritated her.
They had fought through the hybrids together. Both were at the highest risk of infection, but together, they believed they could do anything.
‘Then we do this together?’ his voice whispered.
Ashleigh closed her eyes, seeing the soft grin on his face as he whispered and kissed her lips. ‘As it should be.’
They had been lucky.
