Chapter 10 Tangled Roots

With Morgan standing there, the kitchen feels smaller and smaller, his presence taking up more space like a storm cloud out on the horizon. The bandage juts out from beneath his shirt, so white against his tanned skin, and I can’t stop looking at it. He’s hurt because of me—because I didn’t move quickly enough, didn’t conquer the shadows sooner. I can’t shake the thought, and it gnaws at me, a small ache. Jake mutters an excuse about checking on the others and slips out, leaving only us alone. The silence extends, thick and heavy, until Morgan pulls out a chair and sits down across from me. His bird-silver eyes catch mine, steady yet searching, as if to peel back layers I didn’t even realize I had.