I stare at Talen's back, willing it to be someone else’s voice. Someone else’s hands. Because I’ve never seen him do this. Not with my own eyes. Rumours, whispers, what others said abouthim, sure. But I thought they were wrong. I wanted them to be wrong. Because Iwantedto believe he was different, Ineededto believe he was different because I started to trust him. God. I kissed him.
And now here he is, white uniform spotless, voice like ice, doing the Citadel’s dirty work without flinching.
Something cracks open in my chest, beating hard, flooding my veins, ugly and raw. Anger. Shame. Betrayal.
How could I have been so stupid?
The one-armed baker still doesn’t move. His eyes are on his daughters, arms out slightly, ready to shield them.
My breath snags, a hard tremor rolling through me.
“Talen,” I call, stepping close, “there are kids here. You can’t?—”
But he doesn’t look at me, not even a flicker; instead, he steps forward, reaching for the man.
A shaky rush hits hard, I don’t think, just move. Finn grabs for me—fingers on my elbow.
“Lyra, don’t. You’ll get us all in trouble—” but I’m already past him, planting myself between Talen and the baker.
Talen startles, just for a second. His eyes flare, brows twitch up, then pull low and tight. The surprise fades fast, but what replaces it isn’t calm. It’s sharper, harder. Like he’s bracing. Like he’s already decided I’m a threat.The rush behind my ribs kicks harder now.
“Cadet Bloom,” he orders, the words clipped at the ends. “Step aside.”
“You don’t have to do this,” I say, voice breaking as my eyes search his, desperate to find the version of him I thought he was. “Don’t do this.”
For a heartbeat, something shifts. His gaze flicks between mine—left, then right, like he’s trying to decide who I am to him in this moment.
“Lyra, don’t.”His voice is low but firm in my ear. “You don’t know what you’re doing. I’m not your enemy. But keep going, and I will be.”Then louder, colder. “Step. Aside.”
Pulse racing now, I glance back. The baker’s still frozen in place, his one arm stretched wide to hold his daughters behind him. He’s not moving. Barely breathing. One of the girls is crying, silent, tears streaking down her face. The other just stares at me, wide-eyed, like she hasn’t decided yet if I’m the threat or the way out.
God, what am I doing. He’s only one man. One name. Just another mark on the Citadel’s endless fucking list. I’m so close to getting answers. If I don’t move, if I don’t step aside, I risk everything.
But if I do... he dies. Like my mother. Gone, just like that... And I know what it’s like to lose a parent. To be left behind, to grow up alone in a world that doesn’t care.
My breathing stutters into fast, hard pulls. Save myself... or save him, them.
I look back at Talen. His face still locked tight, eyes harder than I’ve ever seen them.
I let him in. Dropped my guard, believed he was something else. He’s not. He’s just a fucking Nightrose, a trap. A loyal enforcer for the system.
“No,” I say, chin up, feet planted, chest rising too fast, too hard. “I’m not moving.”
“Don’t make me do this.”Talen threatens.
Behind him, I catch a look at Finn. Tense, jaw tight, shaking his head, telling me to let it go.
But I don’t move. And I don’t look away.
Talen sighs. Long. Controlled.“I’m sorry,”he mutters.
Before I can respond, he moves quick, one hands clamp around my arms. The pressure shocks me—tight andunrelenting, nothing like he’s touched me before. Not soft, not gentle. This is soldier grip. Enforcer grip.
He yanks me up, spinning me away from the door like I weigh nothing.
I can’t break his grip—his hold is too strong—but my legs are free. I shift fast. One sharp move and my knee slams up to his groin, not hard enough to cause any damage—but enough tohurt. He stumbles, cursing under his breath, grip slipping just enough for me to wrench away.
“Don’t fucking touch me,” I spit, backing up, dragging in a breath.
