Ally's POV

　　Pain pulses under my skin, a reminder of the chaos we fled. I focus on the way the earth feels beneath my boots, uneven and real, as Elliot leads me through the dense thicket to a place only whispered about in stories.

　　"Watch your step," Elliot's voice is hushed but firm, his hand gripping mine. We break into a clearing, moonlight spilling onto what looks like an abandoned cabin, its walls cloaked in ivy. This must be our secret ...