Instinct screamed.
Not a whisper. Not a subtle warning. A full-throated alarm that made every nerve ending fire at once.
I stopped mid-step, hand shooting out to halt the others. We were in the convoy, maybe three minutes from Mark's fortress.
"What's wrong?" Evelyn asked immediately.
"Something's bad," I said, the certainty absolute even though I couldn't explain the specifics. "Really bad. You all need to stay with Valeska."
"Rey, we talked about this," Camille protested. "We're coming with you. We're not letting you—"
"No," I interrupted, my voice harder than intended. Instinct was still screaming, painting scenarios of danger I couldn't fully articulate. "Whatever's about to happen, you can't be in the middle of it. Stay with Valeska. Coordinate from here. I need to know you're safe."
"And we need to know you're safe," Sienna countered, her caring nature making her voice firm despite the worry.
