Hirvan drove through the dark, his hands tight on the steering wheel. The headlights were switched to low beam, casting only a pale glow on the cracked tellurian road ahead. He didn't want to draw attention. Every muscle in his body was tense, his eyes scanning the path.
The silence inside the car was heavy. Janiyar's son lay unconscious in the passenger seat. Only the soft hum Of the tyres against gravel filled his ears.
After what felt like forever, a dim flicker of light appeared in the distance.
"What's there?" he whispered, gripping the wheel tighter.
He pulled over quickly, turning off the engine. He stepped out of the car, quietly closing the door behind him. Cold air rushed in, but it didn't slow him. His shoes hit the dirt as he ran.
As he got closer, he stood still. His breath caught in his throat. In the clearing ahead, barely lit by a flickering lamp, Elian was on his knees.
