Rest
Amber POV
Twelve hours.
Jason drove for twelve hours without stopping.
Not once.
The sun had disappeared and risen again while we crossed highways, mountains, and empty roads, yet he never asked me to take the wheel.
He simply kept driving.
I had offered at least twenty times.
“Jason, let me drive for a while.”
“I’m fine.”
That was always his answer.
“I’m fine.”
But he wasn’t.
I could see it in the dark circles under his eyes and in the way his hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles had turned white hours ago.
And somehow, the children understood.
Alice, who usually complained after twenty minutes in the car, hadn’t said a word.
Alex hadn’t asked to stop, either.
Not even for the bathroom.
They sat quietly in the back, curled up beneath blankets, occasionally glancing out the windows whenever we passed another car.
They were scared.
Terrified.
And it broke my heart. 1
Because this was exactly what I had wanted to avoid.
The court hearings.
The reporters.
The threats.
The bomb.
The fear.
I had wanted to protect them from all of it.
1/6
Instead, they were suffering because of battles they couldn’t even understand.
+15 Bonus
Asome point during the drive, Alice had climbed onto Alex’s seat and fallen asleep against his shoulder.
Alex stayed awake for another hour, gently holding her hand before eventually drifting off himself.
They looked so small.
Too small to be carrying the weight of secrets that belonged to generations before them.
I looked away before Jason noticed the tears gathering in my eyes.
“They’ll be okay.”
His voice startled me.
“You don’t know that.”
He kept his eyes on the road.
“No.”
He sighed.
“But we’ll make sure they are.”
For the first time in twelve hours, I saw his expression soften as he looked at the rearview mirror.
“We have to.”
The gates of the castle finally appeared on the horizon just after dawn.
For the first time since leaving the airport, I felt my body relax.
Home.
At least for now.
The guards immediately opened the gates, and Jason drove straight to the main entrance.
Before the engine had even stopped, the front doors opened.
Mrs. Sun practically ran down the stairs.
The moment Alice saw her, she burst into tears.
“Grandma!”
7
Mrs. Sun pulled both children into her arms, her expression immediately changing when she noticed how quiet they were.
“My babies…”
She kissed Alice’s forehead and wrapped an arm around Alex.
“You’re home.”
Alex tried to smile.
“We’re okay.”
2/6
The adults exchanged looks.
He was six years old.
Children his age weren’t supposed to reassure adults that they were okay.
Mrs. Sun finally looked at Jason and me.
“You both look exhausted.”
Jason stepped out of the Hummer and stretched his back.
“I think I forgot what sleep feels like.”
Mrs. Sun frowned.
“Did you stop at all?”
I laughed weakly.
“Not once.”
She stared at Jason in disbelief.
“You drove for twelve hours straight?”
Jason shrugged.
“I wasn’t leaving them alone.”
Mrs. Sun didn’t argue.
For once, even she seemed too shaken.
As the staff carried our bags inside, Mrs. Sun walked beside me.
“Oh, before I forget.”
I looked at her.
“The parents and children at school have been asking when your next classes will be.”
I blinked, momentarily confused.
“My classes?”
She smiled softly.
“The safety classes, the investment workshops, the little talks you’ve been giving the students.”
For a moment, I almost laughed.
The outside world had exploded.
People were trying to kill us.
And somehow, children still wanted to know when I would return to teach them.
The thought made my chest ache.
+15 8chus
316
+15 Bonus
“It’ll have to wait.”
Mrs, Sun frowned.
“Why?”
I hesitated for a moment.
“Mr. Stait asked for my help.”
“The military summoned me.”
Mrs. Sun stopped walking.
“The military?”
I nodded.
“I don’t know exactly what they need yet.”
“Just that I’ll be helping them.”
し
She looked as though she wanted to object, but after everything that had happened, she simply sighed.
“Promise me you’ll be careful.”
I squeezed her hand.
“I promise.”
After making sure the children had eaten something and fallen asleep in their rooms, I finally sat on the edge of our bed and called Emory.
He answered after the second ring.
“Please tell me you made it home.”
“We just arrived.”
I heard him exhale on the other end.
“Good.”
I leaned against the headboard.
“So, when do I leave?”
Emory laughed quietly.
“Straight to business, huh?”
“Someone tried to blow up my family yesterday. Forgive me if I’m impatient.”
He was silent for a moment.
“You’ll receive instructions within the next two days.”
“Two days?”
“Yes.”
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I frowned.
And until then?”
“Rest.”
I almost laughed.
“Emory, have you met my life?”
“I’m serious, Amber.”
His voice softened.
“You’ve been through a trial, a twelve-hour drive, and someone tried to kill your family.”
“Spend time with your children.”
“Sleep.”
“Let Jason sleep.”
I glanced toward the bathroom, where Jason was taking a shower.
“I don’t think either of us knows how to do that anymore.”
Emory was quiet for a few seconds.
“Then learn.”
The line disconnected shortly afterward.
I placed my phone on the nightstand and stared at the ceiling.
Rest.
The word sounded foreign.
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