Willow's POV

I wasn’t sure how long I had been walking. The hours bled together in a haze of exhaustion, hunger, and fear. My legs felt like they were made of stone, the weight of both Daniel and Ella pressing down on my shoulders, making each step feel like a small eternity. They were so tired, so hungry, and I was no better. But I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not with everything at stake.

I set the kids down inside the cave, their tiny bodies curled up beside each other on the ground. They ...