The tension was palpable as Carter joined them by the stream. Caleb kept his gun raised, his eyes never leaving the man’s face.

“You look like you’ve been through hell,” Caleb said dryly.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Carter replied, his smirk faint. “And judging by the looks of you two, I’d say I’m not the only one.”

Evelyn stepped closer, her knife still in hand. “You led them straight to us, didn’t you?”

Carter raised an eyebrow. “Now, why would I do that?”

“Because you’re predictable,” Evelyn shot back.

“And you’re paranoid,” Carter countered.

“Enough,” Caleb said sharply, his tone cutting through the argument. He glanced between them, his expression hard. “This isn’t the time for your little power struggle. We’ve got bigger problems to deal with.”

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Evelyn and Carter didn’t respond, but the weight of their hostility hung in the air like a storm waiting to break.

They moved quickly, slipping back into the forest with Carter in the lead. Caleb stayed close behind, his gun still drawn as he scanned their surroundings. Evelyn brought up the rear, her movements quiet and deliberate.

“So,” Caleb said after a while, his voice low. “Why do I get the feeling this isn’t the first time you two have been in this situation?”

Carter glanced back, his smirk faint. “What can I say? Trouble seems to follow us.”

“Or maybe you’re the one causing it,” Caleb muttered.

Carter chuckled softly. “You’re not wrong.”

The forest opened into another clearing, the faint outlines of old stone pillars rising out of the ground like sentinels. Evelyn stopped abruptly, her posture stiffening.

“We can’t stay here,” she said.

“Why not?” Caleb asked.

“Because it’s exposed,” Evelyn replied. “And they’re still following us.”

“Fantastic,” Caleb muttered. “So, what’s the plan this time?”

Carter leaned against one of the pillars, his expression amused. “I’m all ears.”

Evelyn’s gaze darted to the tree line, her mind clearly racing. “We need to split up.”

“Split up?” Caleb repeated, his tone incredulous. “That’s your plan?”

“It’s the only way to draw them off,” Evelyn said.

Carter raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that? Because last I checked, splitting up usually means one of us doesn’t make it out alive.”

“Then stick close if you’re scared,” Evelyn said coldly.