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He came straight at me.

I tried to slow. My body forgot how.

He caught me by both arms before I ran into him.

“Hazel.”

I stared through him.

His face changed. He pulled me closer, cupped my cheeks.

“Come back, babygirl.”

I blinked.

Declan. His face. His hands.

His voice where it belonged.

“Declan?” I touched his face.

His breath left him.

“Yeah,” he said, voice breaking. “Yeah. I’m right here.”

My knees gave out.

He caught me before I hit the ground.

Everything slowed. Not stopped. Slowed.

His arm came around my back. Another beneath my knees.

“No,” I muttered.

He froze. “What?”

“I can stand.”

His face tightened.

I couldn’t. I tried anyway.

My legs buckled immediately.

Declan caught me again, one arm hard around my waist. “That was convincing,” he muttered.

Then everybody reached us.

Dad first. Mom right behind him.

Riot. Marion. Clayton. Rook. Ruckus.

Micah walked up last, handing me a bottle of water.

My hands were shaking. Declan opened it, tipped my head back just enough, and held it carefully to my lips. It was only when I swallowed that I realized I’d been dying of thirst.

When I finished drinking and Declan straightened me, I took in the search party. So many people.