She's here and right beside me.
I reach over slowly, carefully, and wrap my arm around her shoulders. I pull her into my side, the way I used to. The way I did a thousand times before she was taken.
She doesn't melt into me. She doesn't lean her head on my shoulder or curl into my chest or let out a shaky breath of relief.
She just sits there.
I look down at her face, at the way her eyes are glassy and distant, and a dark question rises in my mind.
What did these sick fucks do to her.
I can't even allow myself to go there as I'll want to turn this car around and kill everyone in that building.
"Douazeci de minute," Victor says, looking at me and then Elena in the rearview mirror.
"Da," I say and nod.
20 minutes until we're at the safehouse.
The place is a cabin tucked into the mountains. It's isolated and surrounded by snow-covered pines, and far enough off the main road that no one will find us unless they're looking.
Victor arranged it a few days ago, in case staying at the château didn't pan out.
We pull up in front, and I hop out, scanning the area before going around to the other side to help Elena out of the car.
She lets me hold her arm and guide her up the steps and through the front door.
I turn on some lights and bring her to the living room, and she sits on the couch.
"I'll start a fire," I say and turn to start putting wood in the stone fireplace.
After I stack a few logs, I light it, and the fire crackles to life. I stack another log on top and watch sparks spiral up into the chimney.
I glance over my shoulder, and she's sitting exactly where I left her, hands folded in her lap, staring at nothing.
Movement catches my eye. Victor stands in the doorway to the kitchen, and he nods, calling me over.
I push myself to my feet and brush the ash off my hands. "I'll be right back," I say to Elena.
She doesn't even turn her head to look at me. She's just spacing out now, staring at the flames.
I look at her for a moment and then walk into the kitchen.
Victor's leaning against the counter with his arms crossed.
"I can't fucking believe it," he says, looking over my shoulder out to her.
"I know," I say and look back at her. "Believing and seeing are two different things."
"More in this situation than anything else," he says and laughs. "How are you?"
"I'll be fine," I say and rub my chin. "Now. You know."
He nods and pulls out his phone and glances at the screen. "Good. Also, I'm leaving."
My jaw tightens. "What do you mean you're leaving?"
"I'm going back to the château."