Calm.
Not perfect calm.
Not fearless calm.
The kind of calm you get after choosing something for yourself.
“Thank you for walking me,” I say.
Finn bites his lip.“We’re coming up.”
“Obviously,” Atlas mutters.
“Checking every room,” Kael adds.
“Fine.”
We go upstairs.
Third floor.
Second door on the right.
Atlas unlocks it because he still has the key from last night.He steps inside first, sweeping the place again with that unnerving quiet precision.
My apartment looks exactly how I left it.
Clean.
Soft.
Small.
Mine.
Atlas runs a full perimeter sweep.
Kael checks the windows.
Finn checks the closet because he knows he’s the only one who won’t accidentally rip the door off its track.
“It’s clear,” Kael says.
Atlas nods.“Clear.”
Finn looks at me.“You can still change your mind.”
“I won’t.”
He swallows hard.“Okay.”
They move toward the door.
I follow.
The hallway light flickers.
I try not to read into that.
