I looked up.
Sy stood a few paces away, his movements stiff with pain, his posture careful. One arm hung awkwardly at his side, but his eyes — golden and bright — locked onto mine with unmistakable relief.
I surged to my feet and ran to him.
He folded his arms around me without hesitation, solid and sure, holding me like I might shatter if he didn’t.
I buried my face against him and broke.
Behind us, Dev stood frozen — watching — his hands falling slowly to his sides as the moment slipped beyond his reach.
Sable stepped onto the balcony and came to stand beside him. She didn’t touch him. Didn’t speak.
She just looked at him.
It was a knowing look — sharp, measured, unkind in its honesty.
Something in Dev’s posture tightened. His shoulders squared, his jaw setting like he’d just swallowed something hard. He nodded once, barely perceptible, and took a step back.
Not just away from her.
Away fromus.
“Seph. We need a plan,” Sable said finally. “Come back to the office.”
I pulled away from Sy.
But he didn’t let go.
It wasn’t until we got back to Elliot’s office that I realised Dev wasn’t with me.
Chapter 25
Seph
Elliot wouldn’t let me turn myself in.
We had reached a stalemate.
He had told me a plan was in motion, but I had to wait.
So I did what I could.
I went searching for Dev.
Sy was resting. I had waited until I was sure. His wounds were bad, still unhealed. I knew it would take time before he could go flying again.
Still, he had stayed with me. Until I could convince him I was tired too.
But I couldn’t find Dev in his room, or anywhere else.
And it made me nervous.
We hadn’t talked about what we had shared. What he had done for me.
And I didn’t know how he felt about it.
Finally, I found him in a training room, throwing knives at a wall.
