Counterfeit ✓

Chapter 46

MILA STEPPED ON the meandering stone path with plants and ferns on either side. The trail passed between sheer rock faces as she quickened her pace and didn't look once behind her to check if Elody was following her. After the situation in the lab, she just wished to find Oliver as soon as possible-every second lasted too long.

The air temperature changed when she moved from a sunny to a shady spot. Mila pulled her jacket's zipper up, passed a fallen tree trunk to the right, and quickened her pace. Before she passed the next turn, Elody coughed behind her.

With a swift movement, Mila faced her. Her eyebrows raised. Her lips pressed together. She shook her head, ignored her friend, and walked on. As of now, Mila refused to make time for Elody-she needed to find Oliver before he discovered Stephen in the forest and murdered him.

The uneven path hurt her feet. Mila held her breath as she sped up. Ever since the situation in the lab, she couldn't even think about something else. Their freedom was the only priority now. She stopped when she caught sight of the overgrown section, where the trail seemed to disappear. Mila sucked on the inside of her cheek, remembering how she and Oliver attempted to find a way out while stepping into a vanishing section. She breathed in and out.

Elody tapped her shoulder. "You're waiting here?"

"I'm not sure if this path is a good idea."

"Right." Elody shrugged. "We can't stay here forever. We need Oliver."

"Fair enough."

Sweat damped her skin-Mila knew that waiting over here wasn't a possibility. She just closed her eyes, walked on the path, and looked at the world again when the sun's temperature kissed her skin again. She blinked. For the first time, she didn't know in which area of the forest she was located. As she looked over her shoulder, she realized Elody was as lost as her.

"We can't give up now." Elody joined her. "You saw something that can help us."

"You didn't believe me."

"I don't know what to believe."

"Right."

Elody touched Mila's arm. "The lab gives me perhaps the only way out. I have to hold on to it."

With a nod, Mila uprighted and headed to the path that was straight ahead of them. Every step caused her stomach to turn-she didn't have a single clue whether she guided Elody in the right direction or if she even could find Oliver in the giant forest that never occurred as her home.

Stones tumbled down a steep slope. Before the stones hit Mila on the head, Elody pulled her back and pointed upward. While she walked around and her thoughts overwhelmed her, she hadn't even considered the surrounding slopes.

She opened her mouth to thank Elody-the sound of something moving in the underbrush on the left side stopped her from speaking up. Elody clutched Mila's jacket sleeve. Mila rooted to the spot-she hadn't seen animals in days and didn't know whether the thing was safe.

"You look first."

"You're insane," Mila snapped.

"Your idea to find Oliver."

With a shake of her head, Mila dragged herself from Elody's touch and shuffled toward the underbrush. She squatted, held her breath, and pushed the leaves upward. Right now, Mila didn't see the tip of her nose out there. Just bushes.

"No animal." Mila looked at Elody again. "We can leave."

"Right."

Like the previous hours, Mila took the lead and marched in front of the girl that she once considered her enemy. For the remaining hour, she didn't speak with Elody and focused on finding Oliver-even Stephen seemed like a good idea.