Chapter 73

Kade

By the time we reached open air, Abby had stopped shivering.

That frightened me more than the shaking had.

For most of the climb out of the temple, her body had trembled against mine in small, uncontrollable bursts. Now she lay completely still beneath my jacket, her head tucked against my chest while I followed Tiernan through the trees.

I kept checking her breathing.

In.

Out.

Too shallow.

But there.

The ruins groaned behind us.

Somewhere inside the mountain, stone continued to collapse in heavy, rolling crashes. Wolves and men moved in both directions along the trail, some heading back toward the entrance while others carried the rescued girls down toward the temporary medical station Ryan had ordered set up near the vehicles.

I saw all of it without really seeing any of it.

Liam stayed at my shoulder.

“She’s breathing,” he said quietly.

“I know.”

“You keep checking.”

“I kno