Chapter 22 #3

“We fight by not giving up,” Chief says firmly. “We fight by sticking together. By being collectively smarter than she is on her own.” He looks at Valen. “We need to move. Get Clover somewhere…safer. Regroup.”

“The inn⁠—”

“No,” Roman cuts Valen off. “You’re not thinking clearly, brother. You can’t go anywhere you’ve already been. We’ll secure a safe house.”

“Fuck. You’re right.” Valen rubs at his temples.

“Easy,” Roman says. “It’s understandable. You’re both emotionally invested. That’s why I’m here. I’ve got your back.” He’s speaking to Valen, but when he nods at me, I know I’m included in his sentiment.

Roman considers me family, and it means more than he’ll ever know.

“I have Sterling working on the safe house,” he says.

“The police?” Chief asks.

Roman shakes his head, something close to fear flashing in his eyes.

“We believe that Terra had something she held over my mother—something about Valen, Clover, or one of my brothers—because my mother wouldn’t have gone through all this shit for herself.

Until I know what information Terra has, we handle this internally. ”

Chief bristles like he’s about to argue, but one look at me and he snaps his mouth shut.

“I’ll stay here with my team to process everything and document it all,” Roman says. “If she comes back…” There’s a twitch in his jaw—anger, pain and determination all rolled into one tiny movement. “We’ll be ready.”

How can you be ready for someone who always seems to be three steps ahead of every move you make?

I can see the same question on all our faces, even as Valen helps me to stand, then guides me to RV.

The uncertainty is strangling us all.

Valen buckles me into the RV like I’m something fragile that might break.

It’s who I’ve always been. But when Wrecks jumps into my lap, I feel something else brewing in my chest too—it’s the pieces Terra has been chipping away at my entire life, binding themselves together to form someone stronger, someone resilient, someone designed to win.

“Will you be okay for a minute here with Roman?” Valen asks. “I—I just can’t leave those letters, Clover. They’re mine. I want to read them. To know…”

I nod, but I’m numb as I watch him close my door, then he faces off with Roman. Their angry words are a jumbled mess of syllables I don’t comprehend.

Pressing my forehead to the cool glass of the window, I allow myself to fall into the headspace where nothing can reach me. The secret gardens where good always prevails and peace is a right, not a privilege.

At some point, Valen returns, but his presence barely registers.

“We’re heading to a town called Littleton. We’ll park the RV there and pick up a new vehicle, since this one is compromised.”

“Everything’s going to be just fine, kiddo.” But Chief’s voice doesn’t carry an ounce of the bolster he’s known for.

As we pull away from Roots of Salvation, I force myself to look back. To take it all in. To remember that I survived once, and I can do it again.

The compound sits in the dark, decaying like a tomb of bad memories that should be locked away in a crypt.

The road stretches ahead of us, empty and dark. There are no streetlights out here. Just the RV’s headlights cutting through the blackness and the occasional flash of animal eyes in the tree line.

Every shadow looks like a figure. Every curve in the road feels like an ambush waiting to happen.

Valen’s gaze constantly flicks between the road and the mirrors.

Because we both know that ROS isn’t dead.

It’s waiting.

Just like she is.

And somewhere, in the shadows, I can feel her watching, smiling, because she knows what I’ve only begun to understand.

This isn’t over—it’s just the beginning.

“Valen.” Chief’s voice is low, but urgent. “Mind the car behind us.”

I whip around, but all I can see are headlights.

“I’m watching it,” Valen says as he accelerates.

The headlights match our speed.

“We need to make a detour.” Valen’s gaze cuts to mine. “Trust me, Honeybee. I’ve got this.”

I’m hyperaware of every turn, every acceleration, every side road Valen veers off on until eventually, the car stops following us. But now every muscle in my body is screaming like it’s on fire.

I can’t make myself relax.

“We’re about halfway there,” Valen says.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I almost ignore it until a sixth sense makes my fingers tingle, so I retrieve it.

One new text from an unknown number. My hands shake as I open it.

Unknown number: Did you like my gift? I decorated just for you. Welcome home, Bloom. Mother is waiting.

Blooms and Branches—Terra’s shitty names for her “daughters” and “sons.”

Another comes through before I can show Valen.

Unknown number: Photo sent.

It’s of me, at the compound, sitting on the porch steps after I vomited. It’s taken from a distance, but she was there, in the woods, following us.

And now, I truly know there’s nowhere left to run.

Handing Valen my phone, I close my eyes and fall back into a land where Prince Valor has always saved his Honey Queen. Except this time, I know without a doubt that the queen will have to sting first.