Favored by God

The aroma of breakfast wafted through the cabin's weathered walls, accompanied by the gentle murmur of conversation floating in from somewhere beyond my room. My consciousness gradually surfaced from the depths of sleep, guided by these domestic sounds that seemed almost foreign after everything we'd been through.

As my eyes adjusted to the golden morning light filtering through the rough-hewn window, I noticed the empty beds where Rowan and Maya should have been. A spike of panic shot through me. I practically leaped from the rickety wooden bed, wincing as the ancient floorboards creaked beneath my feet.

I burst through the door into the main living space, my heart hammering until I spotted them: Rowan and Maya, safe and sound, helping Miss Vera prepare what looked like enough food to feed an army. The sight of them engaged in such a normal, peaceful activity made my chest tight with an emotion I couldn't quite name.

"Kai, you're awake," Maya said, her voice barely above a whisper. The usual exuberant morning greeting I'd grown accustomed to was notably absent, replaced by something more subdued. The shadow of recent events still hung heavy over her usually bright demeanor, and it pained me to see it.

"H-hey," I managed to respond, my voice rough with sleep as I tried to shake off the lingering fog in my head.

Miss Vera turned from the crackling hearth, her weathered face creasing into a warm smile. "Sit child," she commanded, though her tone was gentle. "Breakfast is ready."

We gathered around the round wooden table, its surface marked with years of use and care. Steam rose from bowls of thick porridge dotted with wild berries, and the scent of freshly baked bread made my stomach growl. The domesticity of it all felt almost surreal after what we had been through.

As we ate, I could sense an underlying tension in the air, like thunder waiting to break. Finally, Rowan cleared his throat, his spoon pushing nervously at his food.

"K-kai," he started, the words tumbling out in a rush, "um, Vera told us about the training and stuff, and we wanted to tell you t-that we want to stay here and train." His eyes darted between his bowl and my face, gauging my reaction.

Maya's hands clenched around her spoon. "We... we want to be stronger," she added, her voice growing firmer with each word. "So we can protect each other."

A warm smile spread across my face as I looked at my two companions – no, my family. "I want to stay here too, guys," I said softly. "I want to get stronger... strong enough where I can protect you both." The words felt right, settling into place like the final piece of a puzzle we'd been trying to solve since our escape.

Maya and Rowan's eyes welled up with tears, and I felt my own vision blur slightly. We'd been running for so long, and finally, we had found not just shelter, but a chance to grow, to become strong enough to stand our ground.

Miss Vera watched our exchange with knowing eyes, a slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Good, it's settled then," she declared, rising from her chair with surprising grace for someone her age. "Maya and Rowan, I'll work with you right after breakfast." She turned her penetrating gaze to me. "And Kai, we'll talk a little later, ok?"

I nodded, something like hope blooming in my chest for the first time in what felt like forever. This old cabin, with its creaking floors and weather-worn walls, might just become more than a temporary shelter. It could become the place where we finally stopped running and started fighting back.