The car ride felt endless. And Elisa stayed curled in the passenger seat, trembling beneath Nix's jacket. Every now and then a soft, scared whimper escaped her lips, and Nix's chest tightened painfully each time.
He kept glancing sideways at her worried, and frustrated with himself, shaken in a way he could not show.
Why did she panic like that?
What did she hear?
What terrified her so much she ran into traffic?
He rested his hand gently over hers.
"Elisa," he whispered, "we're almost home. You're safe." But she flinched again, her voice barely audible.
"He… he's going to take her…"
Nix swallowed slowly, the words hitting him harder than they should.
"No," he whispered firmly. " No one is taking her from you. I'm not taking anything from you."
But she didn't seem able to hear him.. not fully.
