Chapter 195

Aria

I hold my breath, barely letting the air move through my lungs, as the sound of footsteps grows louder. The steps stop right in front of us. I can hear them looking around.

“Search everywhere and make sure you find her,” a voice barks from outside, sharp and commanding.

The sound of hurried movement follows. Torch lights flash against the cave walls, and Lola and I catch the glimmer of boots as they scatter around, combing through the area.

“This is still hot. That means whoever it is, they’re still here,” the same voice says again, closer this time. He’s talking about the fire.

“Keep searching,” he orders, and we hear more rustling.

Lola and I stay completely still. We don’t even breathe too loud, our bodies tense and unmoving, hoping the darkness and the scent concealer keep us hidden. The minutes crawl by painfully slow.

After what feels like forever…maybe ten minutes or more…we hear some of them coming back.

“We couldn’