Axel’s POV

I hadn’t slept. Not properly. The grave where we’d buried Willow loomed in my mind all night like an unspoken challenge. Every time I closed my eyes, I imagined her struggling beneath the earth, reaching out, needing us, and we weren’t there. The hours dragged by, and even the soothing light of the moon did little to quell the storm inside me. 

The others didn’t seem much better. Aiden stayed awake sharpening his knife, over and over, his face an unreadable mask. ...