Chapter 9

POV: Mira

Sleep was an illusion, slipping further away the longer I stared at the cracked ceiling. My chest tightened, my mind a relentless storm of memories and fears. The protest, the crush of the crowd, the glare of the drone’s red light—it all replayed in loops, each detail sharper than before. And then, as always, there was him.

Lucan.

I sat up, drawing my knees to my chest, the cool air brushing against my skin. My fingers fidgeted with the fraying edge of my scarf, twisting and untwisting it. My mother’s steady breathing from the other room was a fragile reminder that life had returned to its usual rhythm, but I couldn’t shake the knot of unease in my stomach.

Jace wasn’t home.

The thought gnawed at me, but my mind always circled back to Lucan. His amber eyes, sharp and commanding, haunted me. His presence had been overwhelming, like standing too close to the edge of a cliff and knowing the drop was inevitable.

I rubbed my arms, the faint bruise from where he’d grabbed me still tender. What had driven him to save me? What did he see when he looked at me with those piercing eyes?

Frustration surged through me. I needed to focus on Jace, on the rebellion, on surviving. Lucan was a distraction, a dangerous one. Yet his warning had rooted itself in my thoughts.

I swung my legs off the bed, the cold floor jolting me into action. My scarf was a lifeline as I wrapped it tightly around my neck, grounding me. I couldn’t sit here anymore. I needed answers.

The streets were a labyrinth of silence, their usual hum reduced to faint whispers. Drones buzzed overhead, their red lights sweeping over crumbling walls and broken windows. Shadows stretched and flickered, making every corner feel alive with unseen threats.

I gripped my scarf tightly as I walked. The Human Quarters had always been dangerous after dark, but tonight, the air felt heavier, as if the city itself was waiting for something to happen.

Each step felt too loud. I turned toward the alley where I’d last seen Jace, my stomach churning. What would I even say if I found him? He never listened to my warnings.

A sharp sound—footsteps—cut through the silence behind me.

I froze, my heart leaping into my throat. The footsteps stopped too. Slowly, I turned, my breath caught between fear and defiance.

“Hello?” I called, my voice trembling.

No response. Just the faint hum of a drone passing overhead.

I quickened my pace. The cold night pressed against me, but fear kept me moving. I rounded a corner—and stopped abruptly.

Lucan stepped out of the shadows, his tall frame blocking my path. His amber eyes caught the faint light of the streetlamp, their intensity cutting through the darkness.

“You shouldn’t be out here,” he said, his voice low and steady.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended.

He took a step closer, and I instinctively backed against the wall. The cold brick pressed into my back, but I couldn’t look away from him. His movements were deliberate, predatory, yet restrained.

“You’re in danger,” he said simply.

I let out a hollow laugh. “No kidding.”

“You don’t understand,” he said, his voice losing none of its urgency. “The rebellion, the enforcers—those aren’t your only threats.”

“What does that mean?” I asked, frustration bubbling. “Why do you care?”

He hesitated. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes—uncertainty, maybe regret. But it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“Stay out of the rebellion,” he said, his tone firm. “For your sake. And your brother’s.”

My stomach twisted. “You know about Jace?”

His silence was answer enough.

“Why do you care?” I repeated, my voice trembling. “Why did you save me?”

For a moment, he didn’t respond. He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, the pull between us stronger than ever. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper, yet it carried an intensity that made my breath catch.

“Because I had to.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning I couldn’t grasp.

“Had to?” I echoed. “What does that even mean?”

His gaze softened, and I felt the tension in my chest shift, replaced by something more complex. There was something raw in his expression, something almost vulnerable.

“You’ll understand in time,” he said, his tone cryptic but urgent. “But for now, stay away from this. Stay away from me.”

And then he was gone, melting into the shadows as though he’d never been there.

I stood frozen in the alley, my chest heaving. The cold night air stung my skin, but I barely noticed. My thoughts were a tangle of confusion, anger, and something deeper I didn’t want to name.

Why had he saved me? What did he know about Jace? And why did I feel like I was caught in something far larger than myself?

I wrapped my arms around myself, gripping my scarf tightly. Lucan’s warning echoed in my mind, his voice a mix of authority and something I couldn’t ignore.

“Stay away.”

But how could I, when everything inside me told me I was already too close?