Chapter 429

Once his thoughts started to stir, they tangled and spread like uncontrollable vines. The fire flickered weakly in the cave, struggling as no one had added more wood for a while. Hanson lowered his eyes and feebly tossed another handful of sticks into the flames. The fire dimmed for a second under the new logs, then, with a soft crackle, it suddenly flared up, lighting the whole cave in a warm, shaky glow. Right then, Hanson pushed through the stabbing pain and forced himself to stand. The moment he got up, everything went dark, and he almost collapsed straight to the ground, his legs giving out. But his body reacted before his mind could—he braced himself against the rocky cave wall, barely managing to stay upright. He pressed his lips together, took a few steadying breaths, and forced himself to keep standing. He glanced toward the quiet night outside and staggered toward the entrance. He remembered the path to the stream—it wasn't far, just a few hundred meters. Logically, Claire sh