My eyes open slowly.
Not all at once. I blink once. Twice. Focusing. I don't remember falling asleep.
The realization settles somewhere quiet in my chest. Strange, how easily sleep came. Strange, how I didn't fight it. Usually, sleep is a wall I have to climb—but here, in this car, with the steady rhythm of the wheels and the silence beside me, it just... happened.
I shift slightly on the seat, my body still heavy with sleep. My gaze shifts toward Silas.
He's still driving.
His hands rest loosely on the steering wheel. His eyes stay fixed on the road ahead, calm and steady beneath the pale gold light filtering through the windshield.
His face shows no trace of exhaustion. Like he could keep driving forever and never feel the weight of it.
How long has it been?
I lift my wrist and look down at my watch.
The numbers blur for a moment before settling.
Four hours.
We've been driving for four hours.
