The room hums with tension.
Silas watches me with that steady, assessing gaze. He’s pissed, but he agrees. I can feel it.
Penelope looks like she wants to throw something at my head and also collapse at my feet. “So we… wait.”
“We prepare,” I correct. “There’s a difference.”
Talon finally turns back toward us. His eyes are red, jaw tight, fingers clawed into his own hoodie. “What if she… What if they do something early? Move up the eval? Pull some shit before then?”
“Then we adjust,” I say. “But unless we get notification otherwise, we’re acting on the schedule in the file. Anything else is us panicking and giving Abi room to play victim again.”
He swallows hard. “I hate this.”
“You’re allowed to.” The reassurance comes instinctively. “You’re also allowed to break down. But you don’t do it alone. Not anymore.”
Silas strokes Penelope’s arm. “He’s right. We do this the smart way, or not at all.”
Silence stretches.
Finally, Penelope sags, energy leaking out of her like someone cut a wire. “She looked so… normal,” she whispers. “Talking about color palettes and centerpieces one minute, plotting around witnesses the next. My dad is going to marry her.”
Her voice cracks on that.
I cross to her and take her free hand, the one not clinging to Silas’ shirt. Her fingers curl around mine instantly, desperately and warm.
“He doesn’t have to.” The words leave my mouth like a promise I intend to keep. “Not if this goes the way I intend it to.”
She looks up, eyes wet. “You can’t promise that.”
“I can promise I’ll do everything in my power to make sure he doesn’t die for it,” I say bluntly. “We start there.”
A broken laugh slips out of her. “Romantic.”
“Terrifyingly so.” I brush my thumb over her knuckles. “Don’t walk into danger alone again.”
Her mouth trembles. “I knew I could handle her.”
“You can,” I say. “With backup. You’re not a one-woman army, Penelope. Stop trying to be.”
She sniffles, swipes at her eyes. “I hate it when you’re right.”
“You love it,” I say.
She almost smiles.
Talon shifts, rubbing his forehead with the heel of his hand. “So what now? I go to sleep? Pretend to study? Try not to picture my mom pushing my dad off a balcony?”
His voice cracks on that last part. It hurts to hear.
“You go shower,” Silas replies gently. “Eat something. I’ll keep digging into the clinic. Gideon will line up legal support. Penelope will… attempt not to throw herself at any more red flags wearing heels.”
Her eyes narrow. “Rude.”
“Accurate.” He doesn’t even try to defend himself.
Penelope lets go of my hand long enough to step toward Talon. She reaches up and cups his jaw, thumb brushing the stubble there. His eyes close like that one touch is too much.
“You’re the reason we’re doing this,” she says softly. “You keep breathing, Talon. You keep your head down. You make sure Abi doesn’t sniff out that you’re onto her. And when the time comes? You’re the first person Minxy sees. You’re home, for her.”
