Chapter 165
Winter’s jaw tightened at Zara’s suggestion.
"That’s not how it works," he muttered, arms crossed. "You said they came when they wanted."
Zara didn’t waver. "And we don’t have time to wait for them to come to me at random."
Winter exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair. "And if you break something in your head trying to force it?" His voice was rough, low, edged with frustration. "Then what?"
She stared at him, gaze steady. "Then at least I’ll have tried."
Winter’s scowl deepened. He knew that tone—Zara had made up her mind. Still, he refused to let this go without a fight. "You know how bad it is when they happen naturally," he argued. "What if forcing it makes it worse?"
Zara clenched her jaw. "Winter, I get it. You’re worried. But I have to do this. We need information, and this might be the only way to get ahead. If we sit around waiting, they’ll find us first."
Winter rubbed a hand down his face. Every instinct in him screamed against this. He remembered the last time—how her body had gone rigid, unresponsive, how she hadn’t woken for nearly half a day. The memory of it coiled tight in his chest, but Zara looked at him like she had already made peace with whatever happened next.
A long beat of silence stretched between them. Then, reluctantly, he exhaled. "If we do this, we’re being extra fucking careful. You stop if something doesn’t feel right."
"I know."
That wasn’t enough to reassure him. It never was. But it was all he was going to get.