Amara POV

The world returned in a rush of noise and city smells. The car door slammed and a sharp punctuation mark on the silence I had just left behind. The air, thick with exhaust and the faint scent of rain on hot pavement, was a contrast to the crisp, clean mountain air I’d been breathing. A little hand slipped into mine, small and warm and grounding.

“Mommy!” Eli’s voice was a joyous shout and he threw his arms around my legs, nearly knocking me off balance.

My heart, which ...