the vehicle jostled as he got out. Bright light and cool air rushed in through the open door beside Faust. I whimpered and pressed against Dog. He was wiry, his muscles like cords laying under his fur. Dog lay patiently as Faust exited. He stretched to a stand on the seat, forcing my weak arms to slide from him.
Come with me, pup. I will show you until you believe.
He followed after Faust, carefully stepping over me in the process. The two of them ended up standing on the outside of the vehicle, looking in at where I'd curled up in the narrow gap on the floor. Without Dog or Faust, I felt too exposed on the seat. There was too much of me to protect, and my instinct was to shrink.
But Dog had said there was no danger here, and I trusted him. He'd heard my cries in the tower and nearly fell to his death trying to get to me. He'd protected me from his companion when my terror had reached its peak.
Dog jumped to brace his front feet on the seat cushion and stretched his head forward with a whine.
"There's no rush." Faust somehow knew to speak quietly. "I understand this might be scary, Storri, but you don't have to do anything until you want to. This is your choice."
I wished he would stop saying that. My choices were between what type of Pop-Tart to have for breakfast or if I should pace counterclockwise or clockwise for the day. But this was big. Lifechanging.
I wasn't sure how long I'd spent in the tower, but I recognized the way my body had changed simply from noticing the way my reactions to things had also changed. When Faust was near, I wanted to run away from him as much as I wanted to bury closer. He made butterflies dance in my tummy and lower. The sudden desire scared me. Being near Dog was easier because I understood myself and my emotions better.
I reached my hand out, and he booped my palm with his nose. He slid forward, bracing my hand over his head.
Though my instinct was to hold my breath, make as little noise as possible, I exhaled. It wasn't loud, but it made me feel brave enough to unwind my other arm from my legs.
"Your pack is inside?"
"Yes," Faust answered along with Dog.
I eyed the sky outside the car. There were clouds, but they weren't the clouds from my prison. These were thinner, a gray blanket protecting us from the sun. A fresh breeze blew into the car and filled it with briny sea air. It didn't smell like my prison either.
My brain still had to catch up to the fact that I wasn't there. Possibly because I'd had dreams of escaping, finding the police, recovering in the hospital while news stations ran stories about how relieved they were the missing young man from Yamitt had been found. Those moments when I woke up and came back to reality had hurt so much, my brain stopped letting me have that dream.
No one from my town even knew I'd been missing. There wasn't anyone looking out for me.
But Faust and Dog had found me. They'd taken me out of there.
I leaned forward in an attempt at standing. My limbs were trapped beneath me, and I didn't have the strength to unwind them. After a few more pathetic attempts, I glanced up.
"Would you like my help?" Faust's eyes shone a deep, rich amber and his dark brown hair ruffled with the breeze.
When I was touching Faust, it had been all I wanted to do. But now his width and strength were on intimidating display. Dog couldn't help me get unstuck, though. This job needed hands. I nodded and lifted my arm while lowering my gaze. "Please."
Faust leaned in, bringing that alluring smell full force in my face. He slipped his hands under my armpits like I was a child and lifted me gently but firmly from my wedged position.
I wasn't light. At the camp, I'd been too stunned in the presence of another human being to recognize his impressive show of strength. He'd lifted me, carried me, and leaped from a falling tower with me tight in his arms, and I'd never once felt like I was slipping. I recognized his strength as the double-edged sword that it was. So far, he'd used his power to help me. But what about when that changed?
Keeping that thought firmly in the front of