The celebration noise had faded to background static. Maya sat against the hallway wall where Ethan had found her, the killer's note still burning a hole in her pocket. Her hands had finally stopped shaking, but only because Ethan was standing guard like he could personally fight off whatever danger had put that look on her face.
"You good to walk?" he asked.
Maya nodded, let him pull her up. His hand was warm, steady. Everything she wasn't right now.
They made it halfway back to the main corridor before he stopped.
"Alex." His voice had that captain quality, the one that made freshman listen during drills. "Who was that guy?"
Say something. Anything that doesn't sound insane.
"I don't know."
"You looked terrified."
"I wasn't—"
"Don't." Ethan turned to face her fully. "I've seen you take hits from guys twice your size and get back up laughing. Whatever just happened wasn't nothing."
