Rissa’s POV

The air felt wrong. Too still. Too heavy.

Even the water sounded cautious, trickling softer, as if it didn’t want to draw attention.

Mark moved first. He raised a hand, a silent signal for me to stop. I froze, my hand instinctively gripping Josh’s arm to steady him. His breathing was ragged, shallow. The fever had dulled his senses, but mine were screaming.

There—

A ripple of movement across the far bank. Subtle, but deliberate.

“Stay behind me,” Mark whispered. ...