Chapter 1264
Lucy curled up on the floor near the fire pit, surrounded by blankets. Zoey sat beside her with a wet cloth and a canteen. Emma made tea from dried leaves, and Sophie stood by the window, blade still in hand.
Jude sat down, rubbing his eyes.
"We’re not winning," he whispered.
"No," Zoey said. "But we haven’t lost yet."
Sophie looked toward the trees.
"Not yet," she echoed.
And somewhere in the distance, beneath the roots and stone, something hummed.
Night settled over the island like a second skin, thick and inescapable. The jungle outside the treehouse had grown quiet again - too quiet. The usual chirps and rustles that filled the night air were gone, replaced by something deeper. A pulse, almost, like the faint heartbeat of the island itself. Inside the treehouse, Jude sat close to Lucy, who hadn’t said another word since breaking down. Her breathing had steadied, but her eyes remained distant, locked on the flickering flame in the lantern as if it were the only thing holding her in place.
Sophie leaned against the door, her arms crossed, and her expression locked in that worried mix of determination and fear she’d worn all day. Emma paced slowly behind her, the mug of tea in her hands long since gone cold. Zoey was near the back window, crouched, peering out through the gap between the wooden slats.
"They’re not coming back tonight," Zoey finally whispered.
"How do you know?" Sophie asked, not looking at her.