Page 48 of When the Silence Breaks

She glanced at him. Concern and tenderness filled his eyes. Why did she feel so close to this wilderness guide, as if they’d known each other a hundred years?

She smiled. “Sure.”

His grin was priceless. “Then let’s get off this mountain.”

Now, back into the wild.

As he led her forward, his demeanor shifted. The grin she couldn’t get out of her mind turned into an expression entirely too disturbed and preoccupied. And that left her unsettled. Beyond the cave collapse, something was definitely bothering him—it had started before they saw the first dust and pebbles drop from above, warning them of imminent danger.

At the thought, her legs trembled, and in fact, her whole body shook, but it wasn’t from the cold or violent wind or themountain that somehow seemed angry at the intrusion. Lifting her face to what had turned into a heavy, cloudy sky, she drew in a calming breath.

Oh, Lord,please don’t let it snow.

Still. If it snowed, she was with Ryder and he would get her out of this. He would get them both back to safety, wherever that was. Lost in her thoughts, she trudged behind him to the edge where they’d hiked up an ascent so steep, it felt like she was rock climbing. Below, they’d left their base camp.

I get it now,Ryder. I get the whole base-camp thing.

Even though it was nothing more than one flimsy tent she shared with her guide, she couldn’t wait to get back. Weird to think such a shelter could offer her even the smallest sense of security, since it provided only a thin line between survival and exposure. But maybe it was much more than that. A base camp was a place to return to again and again to rest after exploration, or whatever reason someone would come up here. Returning to base camp was bringing her home in a deeper sense and maybe reminded her a little bit about who she was. Ryder had called it base camp, but inside, her heart whispered it was a refuge. A stronghold, and maybe ... maybe that’s what Sarah had been missing all along. Not just a shelter from the cold but from everything else—all the things she’d carried alone for so long.

And it reminded her of Scripture that Grandpa Walt had taught her. He was a believer and made sure that she and Aaron knew the Bible and trusted in God. Sure, she sent up a small prayer when she was in need, but maybe somewhere along the way, she’d lost her trust, because she was busy and didn’t think about God much at all throughout her day. And maybe for far too long. But that had to change.

Lord, please forgive me. I need you.

That Scripture from the book of Psalms floated through her heart.God is my refuge and strength, a very present helpin trouble.

She sucked in the cold, sharp air. Yeah, she got it now, maybe in a different way than anyone who set up base camps intended, but this is what it meant to her.

In the past, she hadn’t been one to shy away from the threat of danger or the associated risks—and that had been part of her job. That had seemed simple compared to what she faced now—a growing threat and a mountain terrain from which she couldn’t simply coerce the secret she needed.

But tonight at base camp, they could look at what they’d found, and maybe he’d share what that half of the military challenge coin meant, because he’d definitely reacted. This evening would be a good time to talk to him about getting connected to check her email and download the audio file so she could find out what more Tessa wanted her to know, what she’d learned.

Ryder held up his fist, indicating they should stop, like they were on some kind of military op. He lifted his field glasses and peered at the area below where the thicker tree line started up again. Here, the summit of Blackspire Mountain was near and directly behind them, thoughnearwas a relative term. Probably another two thousand feet to the actual summit. A glacier or two clung to multiple peaks, jagged points around an ancient caldera that erupted maybe six hundred years ago.

Ryder’s breathing ticked up, concerning her. That wasn’t something he did often—or at least that she could tell.

“What is it?” She could barely be heard above the wind.

He held the binoculars out, and she peered through them. “What am I looking for?”

“Base camp.”

She swung the binoculars around for long enough, then finally had to admit it. “I can’t find it.”

“Exactly.”

Fear gripped her. No. Hadn’t she just put her hope for the next few hours in the security of that flimsy tent?

She dropped the binoculars to her side. “It’s gone? What does that even mean? Is that normal?”

“Not at all.”

“Oh no, but my stuff.”

“Is in this pack.” He moved away from the edge.

“You ... that’s the real reason you built a base camp, isn’t it?”

“Not exactly. I would have settled us there regardless, but considering the chances it might get ransacked, I put everything needed for survival in my pack. Remember, I left some of the bulkier items behind.”