The drive back to their estate should have been peaceful. Three days of vacation—however unconventional—had left them relaxed, connected, and ready to return to their actual home. The morning sun painted the highway in shades of gold, Nova was contentedly babbling in her car seat, and for once, no one was arguing about navigation or rest stops.
"I can't believe we actually did it," Samantha said, watching the landscape blur past. "Three whole days without a single apocalyptic incident."
"Don't jinx it," Kai warned from the driver's seat. "We're not home yet."
"Superstitious nonsense," Marcus replied, though he knocked on the wooden door panel just in case.
They'd been driving for about two hours when Callum, who'd been dozing in the passenger seat, suddenly sat up straight. "Stop the car."
"What?" Kai asked, but he was already slowing down.
"Stop. Now."
Kai pulled onto the shoulder of the empty highway, gravel crunching under the tires. "What's wrong?"
