Dawn crept over the horizon, painting the desert in soft gold. Nix and Eden were fast asleep in the back of the truck, while Ace and Remi murmured quietly in the front seats.
Willow stood outside, stretching the stiffness out of her arms as the cool air brushed against her skin. Her gaze drifted upward to the roof of the truck, where Navian sat with one knee drawn up, his eyes fixed on the rising sun. His expression was calm, almost serene, like the chaos of the night hadn't touched him at all.
She had questions. Too many of them. Her first mission had been brutal. Even if she hadn't pulled a trigger, the blood on the walls still felt like it was on her hands. Those soldiers had been people... maybe even someone's brothers, like hers.
Navian looked down just as she was about to turn away. Their eyes met.
"Do you want to come up?" he asked quietly.
Willow hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah."
