“Zara?” His voice cracked slightly, tighter this time.
He swung open the closet, scanning for any sign of her. Her jackets, her bags, her shoes, gone. His heart dropped further.
The garage was next. He practically ran down the steps, adrenaline pushing him faster than his own thoughts. The car he had parked earlier was missing, leaving an empty space that made his chest tighten.
She was gone.
He knew, logically, where she was heading—Alindale. She’d needed space. She’d gone off on her own. But knowing it didn’t stop the sick twist of panic crawling up his spine. The thought of her driving alone, unsettled, reliving the fight in her mind, twisted his chest with pain.
Hektor grabbed the keys for the SUV from the hook by the door without another thought, his mind set, his heart hammering. She was out there, and he wasn’t going to wait another second.
His hands tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles white, as the roads blurred past him. She was gone, just like that,and he hadn’t even realized how close he’d been to losing control over everything that mattered.
Thoughts of her filled the car, sharp and vivid. Like the way she’d melt against him in those quiet moments, they all hit him like a punch in the chest. He hadn’t expected to feel like this. He hadn’t expected her to consume his thoughts, heartbeat, his very being.
He went over their fight, over her hurt expression, over the words she’d said that cut straight through him.You lied to me. You didn’t tell me about Eleonora.The memory made his stomach twist. He’d tried to act casual, tried to deflect, but he hadn’t prepared for the way her eyes could hold him accountable.
Why couldn’t I just tell her?The excuses and fears that had kept him silent now felt meaningless. The risk of sounding vulnerable, of giving her all of himself, seemed suddenly small, even foolish.
The thought of her hurt, of her thinking he didn’t feel what he felt, burned like fire through him. And he realized that she had changed everything. His life, his thoughts, the way he saw the world. She had filled the emptiness around him with her presence.
The further he drove, the more the fear of losing her propelled him forward.I can’t let her get away,he thought, a cold certainty settling in his chest. If he didn’t get to her now, if he didn’t say what needed to be said, he might lose her completely.
Every light, turn, and passing car was measured against the image of her in his mind. The anxiety of being a few hours behind gnawed at him, but the sight of his car finally appearing outside her apartment made his chest lift with relief. She was here. She was safe. And he wasn’t going to waste another second.
Hektor’s steps were heavy as he walked toward her building, the early morning air biting at his skin. His mind was a tangle of thoughts, what he should say, how he should say it, but none of that mattered as much as the one truth pressing down on him: he needed to see her. Each step brought dread and determination, a quiet tension building in his chest. He had no plan, no rehearsed words, only the certainty that standing outside her door until he saw her would feel better than sitting at home, letting the distance grow. All he knew was that he couldn’t turn back, not now, not when the thought of leaving without her made his chest tighten painfully.
His knuckles still tingled from the firm knocks he’d delivered on the apartment door. When Liora finally opened the door, her brow furrowed and arms crossed, the scowl on her face barely contained her irritation.
“What do you want?” she asked sharply, her voice a low growl.
Hektor opened his mouth, ready to explain, but before he could say a word, Elian appeared behind her, giving a quick, “Liora, leave us,” with a hand on her shoulder. She stepped back, muttering under her breath.
Hektor’s eyes searched the doorway for Zara, hoping she’d appear any second. “I need to talk to Zara.”
“She’s not here,” Elian replied calmly.
“I saw my car,” Hektor pressed. “She has to be here.”
Elian sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I like you, Hektor, so I’m going to tell you straight. Zara went home.”
Hektor blinked, stunned. “Home…the Upperworld?”
“Yes,” Elian said patiently. “Santa Fe.”
The words hit him harder than he expected. Hektor took a step back, the air seeming thinner now, his mind racing. “Santa Fe? She… she didn’t tell me she was leaving.”
“She just wanted to get back home for a while,” Elian said gently. “She’s fine, but she needs space.”
Hektor’s chest tightened, and he ran a hand down his face, trying to force his thoughts into order. “I…I should have known,” he muttered, frustration and worry coiling together. “I should have asked.”
“You’ll get your chance,” Elian said quietly. “She’ll come back when she’s ready, and she’ll know you’re waiting.”
He couldn’t just stand there; he couldn’t wait for fate to hand him a second chance. His chest tightened as he imagined Zara, maybe pacing, maybe thinking he’d let her slip away.
“We can all see it,” Elian said, hands tucked into his jacket pockets. “You and Zara. It works.”
Hektor shook his head immediately. “You’re her brother. Why are you saying that?”
