Page 76 of Raven

The nuns were behind him, and I was behind them. The other guy was last.

“We’ll need to make camp soon,” he said quietly, pulling me aside. “The others are fading.”

“You think I can’t see that?” I snapped.

He held up a hand. “I’m not criticizing. I’m looping you in.”

That threw me off just enough to pause.

“You looped in the nun with the stick?”

His eyes flicked to the spear I was still clutching. “You seem like the one most likely to stab me in my sleep. I figured I’d stay on your good side.”

Despite myself, I chuckled—just a little.

He looked pleased with himself.

And for a split second, I forgot where we were. Forgot the danger, the exhaustion, the stench of fear that had clung to me for weeks.

I just saw him.

Cyclone, the name suited him.

And the way he was looking back?

Yeah. I had a bad feeling about this.

Not about the mission.

Abouthim.

37

Cyclone

The jungle felt wrong.

Still. Heavy. Like something holding its breath.

We’d made camp in a small clearing surrounded by thick brush, with Faron taking first watch. I was prepping the perimeter when I heard it—leaves shifting. Not the soft kind from a breeze. This was heavier. Measured.

Movement.

“Faron,” I said low, already moving toward the treeline.

“Got it,” he replied, weapon raised.

I signaled sister Jude to keep the women down. She crouched low beside them, her expression serious for once. No sarcasm. Just focus like she'd done this before.

Another mark in thewho the hell is this womancolumn. What is wrong with me? She’s a nun.

I stepped into the foliage, rifle up, heart steady. I wasn’t worried for me. I was worried forthem.

Then I saw it.

A tripwire.

I froze.

---