Chapter 5

chapter

five

"We need to search the nearby area," Sawyer said, his voice firm despite the worry gnawing at his insides.

Lucy took a moment before answering, her tone unreadable. "We need to get Maya and Joel to the tower."

His hand tightened around Zelda's harness. "I have to look."

A silence hung between them, heavy as the mountain looming overhead.

Finally, Lucy sighed, her exhaustion evident even in that small sound. "We don't even know Pierce is up here."

"But we don't know for sure he isn't, and he could be injured. He can't speak, so he wouldn't be able to call for help."

Lucy hesitated again before she muttered a low curse under her breath. "All right. Ten minutes. It's all we can risk."

Ten minutes was better than nothing.

Turning to Zelda, he smoothed his hand over her head and whispered commands in her ear. Her tail thumped the ground twice in response before she shot off in the direction from which she'd returned. Sawyer gripped his spare hiking pole tighter and followed her with a determination born of desperation.

"Everyone, wait here," Lucy called to the group. "We'll be back in ten minutes."

They traced their path back to the fallen tree, Zelda leading the way with an uncanny sureness that Sawyer had learned to trust long ago. Every so often, she would stop and sniff at the ground, her body tensing before she picked up the trail again.

The mountain loomed ominously in Sawyer's limited vision, its jagged silhouette like an insurmountable wall.

"Sawyer," Lucy's voice was low, gentle like she didn't want to upset him. "We're running out of time."

"We have a few minutes left," he countered, unwilling to abandon their search just yet. Two minutes were as good as two hours if it meant finding Pierce. His hand grazed the coarse bark of a pine as they moved through the underbrush.

A yelp pierced the stillness around them.

"Zelda!" Sawyer called out, fear creeping into his voice. "Zelda!"

The barks were more urgent now, a frantic symphony that echoed from the dense forest. Without thinking, Sawyer surged forward, putting all his trust in his remaining senses to guide him. He heard Lucy shout after him, but he was already gone, following the single-minded drive to find his dog and possibly his friend.

He stumbled and fell, hands sinking into a bed of damp leaves and slick mud. He wiped it off on his trousers and pushed himself back up, not caring about the grit that lodged itself underneath his nails or the twigs scraping against his already-blistered hands.

"Sawyer! Wait!" Lucy skidded to a halt next to him, gasping for breath. Her hand was warm on his arm, steadying him.

"Where is she?" he asked, his voice tight with worry. "Where's my dog?"

Lucy didn't answer immediately. Instead, he heard the rustle of leaves and the crack of twigs underfoot as she moved ahead. After what felt like an eternity, her voice floated back. "Here."

Sawyer followed her voice until he bumped into her, reaching out tentatively to find Zelda's form on the ground. He ran his hands along her fur, noting the steady rise and fall of her chest. She was fine. Then, his fingers brushed against something wet and warm - more blood, but this time it wasn't just smeared on her coat. His heart clenched in his chest as he traced the source to a shallow cut on Zelda's foreleg.

"She must have run into a sharp branch or something," Lucy said gently, coming up behind him. "It's not deep. She'll be okay."

He nodded, pressing on Zelda's wound gently with his bandana to help stop the bleeding while Lucy fetched her first aid kit. The dog whined, but stayed still under his touch. He could feel her trembling, hear her frantic panting.

"Wait a second," Lucy muttered, her voice tight. "Sawyer, move your hand."

He obeyed, retracting his hand to let Lucy inspect the cut further. She gasped softly and he tensed, fingers curling into Zelda's fur.

"What is it?" he asked, fearing the worst.

She was silent for a moment before answering, her voice heavy with disbelief. "A branch didn't do this. The wound is too clean. Like… she was cut by a knife."

Lucy saw the flash of pain cross Sawyer's face, followed quickly by fury.

"Someone hurt my dog?" His voice was low, a dangerous rumble that sent a chill down Lucy's spine.

This was not the happy, easy-going Sawyer she knew. This Sawyer was the soldier, the warrior. This Sawyer was dangerous.

He surged to his feet, his hands balling into fists at his side. "Who the fuck would do this?"

She drew a steadying breath and focused on bandaging the wound. The first thought to pop into her mind was one he definitely didn't want to hear, but it had to be said. "What if Pierce?—"

"No." As expected, he rejected the idea instantly. "He would never hurt an animal."

"I'm not saying he would normally, but you seem to think he's not acting like himself. Maybe, if he is up here, he doesn't want to be found and just meant to scare her away."

"He wouldn't—" He broke off. Hesitated. Shook his head. "No. He wouldn't hurt Zelda. He wouldn't hurt any dog. It's not him."

"Well, then, if it's not him, then there's someone else dangerous up here with us and we need to get back to the group. There's safety in numbers."

Sawyer took a moment, visibly struggling with himself. His hands clenched even tighter, knuckles turning white.

"Fuck," he finally muttered and rolled his shoulders back, shook out his hands.

Lucy's heart went out to him. She could see how much he wanted to argue, how much it meant to him to find his friend, and how much it was killing him not being able to protect those he held dearest.

But she also saw the moment when he accepted that they couldn't stay, not without putting themselves and the rest of their group in danger.

"Fuck," he said again with feeling. "Can Zelda walk?"

"Yes. She'll be all right."

Sawyer gave a small nod, trailing his fingers lightly over the bandage Lucy had secured around Zelda's wound. The dog gave a soft whimper, nuzzling her head into Sawyer's hand.

"My sweet girl," he whispered and pressed his forehead to hers before giving her a kiss between her brown eyes. Then he straightened. "Let's go."

They left the cover of the trees and made their way back toward the group. The rain had slowed, just as Sawyer predicted it would, softening into a misty drizzle that shrouded the dense forest in an eerie veil. Somewhere, a great horned owl hooted, the haunting notes echoing through the damp air.

Sawyer had traded his hiking pole for his white cane, using it to navigate with Zelda limping bravely beside him. Lucy followed behind, her gaze scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig set her nerves on edge.

God, she hated this.

The forest was supposed to be her refuge, her happy place. Instead, here she was, her anxiety spiking with each shadowy movement in the trees. The traumas of her past seemed to cling to the shadows, stalking her like a predator.

She'd never escape it, would she?

The man who had kidnapped her was long dead, but he'd left his black mark on her soul, a wound that ran deeper than those he'd inflicted on her body. He'd wormed his way into the roots of all she loved, turning her sanctuary into something to be feared.

She clenched her jaw, pushing down the bitter bile of anger that threatened to choke her. She wished he wasn't dead. She wished she'd had the opportunity to face him in court, to see him trapped for life like she'd been trapped in that cave.

"Hey," Sawyer said softly, breaking through her thoughts. "You okay?"

She willed herself to relax before answering, opening her mouth a couple times to relieve the tension in her jaw. "Yeah," she lied, forcing a smile she didn't feel. "Just plotting our next move."

Sawyer's head tilted in the way it did when he was listening intently, a gesture that made her chest tighten. She wondered if he knew she was lying. Probably. The man may be down a sense, but he was the most perceptive person she'd ever met. He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to. He'd already said it back on the ridge before they'd heard Maya's calls for help.

"Lean on me. Let me take some of that weight."

And now she realized how badly she wanted to, how badly she needed the support.

"Sawyer," she began, her voice cracking with emotion. "I'm…" She trailed off, unsure how she was going to finish the thought. Scared? Damaged? Madly, deeply in lust with him? All of those things were true, but none of them felt right to voice. Instead, she opted for a simple honesty. "I'm tired."

"I know." His hand found hers, his fingers lacing through hers in a warm, firm grip. A simple gesture, but it held the power of an embrace and the promise of comfort she so desperately needed.

It was strange how much she craved the sound of his voice, taking comfort in its steadiness. How the touch of his hand acted as an anchor, grounding her in reality, keeping her from getting lost in her own dark thoughts.

It was okay to falter, she reminded herself. A part of healing was admitting that you're hurt in the first place.

As they neared the camp and she spotted the others huddled together, their faces pale and drawn, Lucy released his hand and locked all of her vulnerability away again. "How's Maya?"

Bea straightened. "Unconscious," she reported in her no-nonsense way. She eyed the two of them, and then her gaze dropped to Zelda, and her lips flattened. "What happened?"

"A run-in with a sharp branch," Sawyer said before she could tell them the truth. She sent him a questioning sideways glance—which, of course, he couldn't see.

"But she's okay," he added with his easy smile back in place as he ruffled Zelda's ears. "My girl is tough."

"What did you find out there?" Theodore asked.

"Nothing, but Lucy spotted the tower. We're close."

Another lie.

Lying to them didn't sit well with her, but as she watched a collective sigh of relief move through the group, she understood why he chose to in that moment. They didn't need more fear and uncertainty right now. They needed reassurance and hope.

"So we're still going to the tower?" Joel asked, pulling himself up onto his one good leg with the help of the hiking pole Sawyer had loaned him.

She eyed the kid, assessed the group, then did some quick mental calculations. If they were where she thought they were, they could still reach the tower before complete darkness set in. And they'd be safer there than out in the open, and it was the best chance they had of getting a signal out to rescuers."

Finally, she nodded.

"Yes," she said firmly, steeling herself. "We're still going to the tower."

She felt Sawyer's approving nod beside her, and she had to squash the urge to lean into his solid presence. Instead, she pushed past it and focused on rallying the group.

"We're not too far off, and if we move together in a line, we can make it before nightfall. Stick close. Watch each other's backs."

A murmur of assent rippled through them, their faces reflecting a mix of determination and wariness. Lucy ignored the leaden weight in her stomach as she glanced around at them.

She moved to Maya, taking hold of one end of the stretcher as Bea moved to the other end. Her hands were shaking ever so slightly as she lifted the injured woman—from fear or anger, she couldn't tell. Maybe both. It didn't matter, though. What mattered was that they made it to the tower tonight.

They had to.