It didn't take long for Lara to make the necessary arrangements. Riley paced restlessly around the room, her eyes darting to the window every few seconds, her thoughts once again drifting to Zayden.
The room had changed since she arrived—at first, it had seemed like a prison, its beauty nothing but an empty luxury. But now, it had become a place of possibility. She could feel it in the air—the stillness before the storm.
Finally, Lara returned, her face serious.
"Riley," Lara said, her tone more commanding now. "I've spoken to a few trusted people. We have a plan. But you need to prepare yourself."
Riley's pulse quickened. "What do you mean?"
"Zayden's location isn't easy to pinpoint, and there are enemies closing in on him as we speak. We have to move quickly," Lara explained. "But there's something we need to do first."
"What is it?" Riley demanded, her voice tight with urgency.
"We need to get you out of here. The longer you stay in the sanctuary, the more likely it is that they'll find us."
Riley's stomach dropped. "You're saying it's not safe here anymore?"
"It never was," Lara said, her expression grim. "But it was the safest place for you until now. Now, we need to be prepared to move at a moment's notice. There's a safe house a few miles from here, and it's better protected. We'll take you there first."
Riley's heart hammered. She wasn't ready to leave, wasn't ready to run again, but if it was the only way to keep herself safe while they searched for Zayden, she had no choice.
"Fine," Riley said, determination hardening in her voice. "Let's go."
Lara gave a nod of approval before turning toward the door. "We'll move quickly. Pack light."
Riley's heart pounded as she moved toward the small closet in the room, gathering a few essential items. She couldn't help but feel that every minute spent here, every second she wasted, was a second that could make the difference between life and death for Zayden.
But she had no choice. She had to survive. They both had to.