chapter 18

Gannon The steering wheel is cool beneath my palms as I navigate the forested road. Trees, tall and sturdy, flank the path. In the passenger seat, Abbie’s outline is motionless against the window, her reflection ghostly as she watches the world speeding by. I steal a glance in her direction, noting the distant look that clouds her eyes—dulled by shadows I cannot chase away. The silence between us isn’t empty; it’s laden with the weight of unsaid words, echoes of her pain that neither of us can voice. I grip the wheel a tad tighter, my knuckles betraying the concern etched within me. I can tell she’s lost in her thoughts, probably replaying the horrors she’s endured. It’s why I’m doing this—taking her away from the castle, from all the memories that haunt her. She needs this break, a chance to breathe, even if she doesn’t realize it yet. We’re heading to a secluded cabin I know about, a place used as a safe house in case of emergencies. It’s far from everything, surrounded by nothing bu