Mia woke in the night, startled. Was the distant thumping noise back?
No. No, it was her heart pounding in her chest. Had she been having a nightmare?
There was no fire tonight. The clearing felt special enough that the group had agreed not to risk upsetting some magical balance with flames. And so, the perfectly round place in the forest was lit by the full moon and stars, and nothing else.
Sitting up, Mia breathed heavily. Her aunt lay near her, and her young cousin on the other side of the older woman, both snug in their bedrolls. .
Other than the sound of her father's snores, the forest was quiet. Mia stretched and looked around, pausing when she saw that Ford was also sitting up, and looking directly at her. It must be his watch.
"Trouble sleeping?" His whisper was barely audible, but she nodded. Could he see that in the darkness?
