Chapter 79: We are safe
The night stretched on in endless silence, broken only by the distant howl of the wind and the rustling of leaves.
The stars above seemed indifferent to their suffering, twinkling against the vast darkness, while Ethan sat on the cold ground, holding Mara close.
Something was wrong.
Her skin was too warm against his. Feverish. Her breaths were shallow, uneven. This wasn’t good, not for her, not for the baby.
Ethan swallowed the panic rising in his throat. He had been trying to stay calm trying to convince himself that rescue would come soon. But now, seeing her like this, shaking and barely able to keep her eyes open, fear gripped him.
"Mara, stay with me," he murmured, brushing damp strands of hair from her face. "You’re burning up."
She tried to reply, but her voice was weak, barely a whisper.
Ethan cursed under his breath, quickly pulling off his shirt. It was thin protection against the cold night air, but right now, she was all that mattered. He laid her down gently, pressing his warm skin against her feverish body, wrapping himself around her in a desperate attempt to keep her from slipping further into exhaustion.
Mara shivered, instinctively curling into him. His warmth, his scent everything about Ethan made her feel safe. She knew she should fight it, should push him away, but in this moment, she couldn’t.
"I won’t let anything happen to you," Ethan whispered, his lips pressing against her forehead. "To either of you." His hand splayed protectively over her stomach, where their baby grew.
Mara’s eyes fluttered open, glassy but searching his. "Ethan..."