CHAPTER 49: 49: THE WAYS OF THE WORLD

The snow fell in thick, heavy sheets, blotting out the moonlight and turning the world into a silent, frozen void. Zara’s breath came in ragged gasps as she sprinted through the snow, Leo strapped tightly to her chest, his small, warm body pressed against hers.

She had no idea how long she had been searching. Minutes felt like hours, and hours felt like days. The bitter cold burned her skin, but the chill in her bones couldn’t compare to the dread wrapping around her heart. Mia, Kit, where are you?

The absence of their voices made her stomach twist. She had asked too many questions, too many questions about their past, about their connection to that and his gang. Had she pushed them too far? Had she scared them off? The thought gnawed at her as she trudged through the snow, shivering with the effort and the fear that she might have lost them for good.

She paused, gripping Leo tighter as he squirmed slightly, his small hands reaching up to grasp her coat. Zara’s eyes darted to the empty landscape around her. Nothing. Just snow and rubble. Nothing to indicate where Mia and Kit might have gone. Her breath hitched, and her chest tightened as guilt swelled inside her. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have asked. I shouldn’t have pushed them. They’re gone, and it’s all because of me.

"Please," she whispered to the cold night air. "Please come back."

Leo wiggled again, his tiny whimpers a reminder of her duty to him. She couldn’t lose him.

The thought of being alone in this cold world, with only the silence to keep her company, was enough to make her heart lurch.

But she had to find Mia and Kit. She had to. Who knew what could be happening to them?

She pushed forward, each step more desperate than the last. The snow was waist-deep now, and the wind had picked up, cutting through her thin coat, and biting her exposed skin. She stumbled but caught herself, her breath coming in uneven gasps as she squinted into the storm. A part of her wondered if she was just chasing shadows if she was fooling herself into believing they were out here at all. But she couldn’t stop. She wouldn’t stop.

A faint sound caught her ear. A crunch of snow. A familiar voice.

"Mia?"

Her heart leapt into her throat, but the world remained silent. She listened hard, hoping for any sign.

Then, in the distance, she saw something. A shadow in the swirling snow, too large to be a trick of the wind. Her heart skipped a beat as she stumbled forward, pushing herself harder, faster.

Please, please, let it be them.

As she neared the shape, she saw it clearly. It was Mia and Kit, huddled together, their faces pale and weary. Kit’s eyes were wide with fear, his cheeks streaked with tears. Mia’s face was a mask of stone, her eyes haunted, distant like she was somewhere far away.

"Mia! Kit!" Zara gasped, rushing toward them. Her legs trembled as she dropped to her knees, clutching Kit tightly, her arms shaking as she enveloped him in a fierce embrace.

Kit gasped and sobbed into her shoulder. "I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—"

"Shh, Kit," Zara whispered, her voice breaking as she squeezed him tighter. "Don’t you dare apologize? You’re safe now. You’re safe."

She looked up at Mia, who was standing a few steps away, her gaze fixed on the ground. Mia’s face was pale, her lips pressed into a thin, tight line. She refused to meet Zara’s eyes.

Zara’s chest tightened. She wanted to say something, to demand to know what had happened, but something stopped her. She couldn’t. Not yet. Kit needed her, and Mia—Mia had her own demons, ones Zara wasn’t sure she was ready to face.

"I thought I lost you," Zara whispered, her voice hoarse as she stroked Kit’s hair. "Don’t scare me like that."

Kit whimpered again, clinging to Zara’s coat like his life depended on it. "I was so scared, Zara. I didn’t want to go, but Mia—she just—she told me to leave, to stay hidden."

Zara’s eyes flickered to Mia, but Mia remained distant. Zara bit her lip, guilt twisting in her gut. What had they seen out here? What had happened between them?

"I’m just glad you’re both okay," Zara said, her voice softer now, attempting to soothe Kit as he cried.

Mia shifted uncomfortably but didn’t speak.

Zara squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, letting the cold wind bite at her face, trying to steady herself. Focus on Kit, she reminded herself. Focus on them both.

After a long pause, Mia spoke. Her voice was low, almost a murmur as if the words were a weight on her tongue. "I think I know where the cache is."

Zara blinked, surprised. "What? You know where it is?"

Mia shrugged, the movement tight and defensive. "It’s just a hunch. I don’t— I’m not sure, but I think it’s close. I can feel it."

Zara studied her for a moment, the unease in her gut swelling. Just a hunch? It didn’t sound like something Mia would say lightly. Zara stepped closer, her hand resting gently on Kit’s head.

"Why didn’t you say anything sooner?" Zara asked, keeping her tone even, though she couldn’t hide the suspicion creeping into her voice.

Mia avoided her gaze, staring into the swirling snow instead. "I didn’t want to get your hopes up. I’m not sure, okay? But I think it’s near."

Zara’s stomach tightened. She wanted to push, to ask more, but something in Mia’s voice told her to hold back. She bit her lip. "Alright. We’ll go, but we need to be careful. We don’t know what’s out there."

Mia nodded but said nothing more, her expression unreadable.

Zara walked over to her and pulled her into a hug, "I’m really glad you’re ok." She noted the way Mia tensed before stiffly returning the hug.

Zara’s mind raced, questions swirling as she tried to make sense of Mia’s behaviour. What was going on? Why hadn’t Mia told her the truth? And why did it feel like there was more she wasn’t saying?

Hours later, the landscape before them shifted. Zara’s eyes widened as a faint plume of smoke rose into the dark sky, the thin curl of grey against the stark white backdrop of the world.

She froze. The others stopped with her, and the air seemed to be still, the world holding its breath.

"Smoke," Zara murmured. "It could be from the cache."

Mia squinted into the distance, her eyes hard and distant again. "Maybe."

Zara felt a shiver run down her spine. This was it. The cache. But something about the smoke—something felt off. She glanced around at the others.

Mia was already moving, pulling ahead, as though the sight of the smoke had sparked something inside her.

"We need to go," Zara said, her voice urgent. She moved quickly to catch up with Mia, but her mind was already racing ahead, already preparing for the worst.

But as they neared the source of the smoke, Zara realized they weren’t alone.

And whatever lay ahead, it wasn’t going to be easy to survive.