“Emergency briefing in fifteen,” she says. “Viktor wants everyone who was in the Carpathians. You’re needed.”
I blink, caught off guard. “I’m off active duty—”
The corner of her mouth twitches in what might be a smile.
“Tell Viktor that. He specifically requested you.”
She turns on her heel without waiting for my response, leaving me standing in the doorway with my heart suddenly kickingagainst my ribs. A mission. Purpose. Something to focus on besides the phantom sensation of Luke’s fingers laced through mine, the memory of his voice murmuring against my ear, the hollow where his presence should be.
I head to the bathroom to shower and wash away that scent of him that still clings to my skin. I change quickly, pulling on a clean tank top and cargo pants without even looking at them. My hair is still wet when I pull it back from my face and bind it into a tight ponytail.
You can do this.
When I step into the corridor, my steps are lighter than they should be. Beneath the hurt, something like hope stirs; not for Luke, but for myself. I’m part of a team. I have something valuable to offer.
I keep that thought at the top of my mind as I stride briskly to the meeting room.
It’s already packed when I arrive, screens glowing with satellite imagery and data feeds. Viktor stands at the head of the table, Caleb and Dorian flanking him, the rest of the team assembled in grim silence. My gaze catches on my mother sitting to one side, her face a perfectly inscrutable mask. You’d never think she just deliberately set out to shatter my heart.
Luke’s seat is conspicuously empty. The sight of it—that vacant space where he should be—sends a jolt of physical pain through me. I half-expect to see him walk through the door, face serious, but eyes finding mine with that silent understanding we’ve come to share. But the doorway remains empty, and the pain turns into resolve.
I slide into a chair as Viktor starts the meeting and activates the main display.
“The Syndicate’s moving faster than anticipated,” he announces without preamble. “They’ve advanced the ritual timeline. Forty-eight hours, not seventy-two.”
The satellite imagery zooms in on a familiar mountain range. My stomach tightens as I recognize the area surrounding the tomb entrance. Figures move in formation, equipment being unloaded from vehicles.
“We’re deploying a strike team,” Viktor continues. “Objective: disrupt the ritual, prevent power extraction.”
Caleb steps forward, tapping the display to highlight a series of approaches.
“This is high-risk. Close quarters, unstable magical field, Syndicate will be dug in.”
His eyes find mine across the table. “But we need someone who understands the tomb’s energy signature. Someone who knows what’s going on in there.”
The implication hangs in the air.
They need me.
My mother rises from her chair abruptly.
“Absolutely not. She’s off duty pending evaluation—”
“With respect,” Viktor cuts in, his tone firm but diplomatic, “this is an Aurora operation. And Ember’s intelligence made it possible.”
“She’s barely recovered from the last mission—”
“She’s also an adult Aurora Collective operative who can make her own decisions.” Viktor doesn’t raise his voice, but authority radiates from every word.
All eyes turn to me.
I stand, surprised at how steady my voice sounds despite my hammering heart. The emptiness Luke left behind aches like a physical wound, but it fuels something new: a defiance that rises like a flame.
“I’ll go.”
My mother’s face goes pale. “Ember, no—”
“When do we deploy?” I ask Viktor, ignoring my mother’s protest.
