Luca bursts into my room, jaw clenched, hair a mess.
“He left again.”
I get up and grab my jacket. “I saw.” I nod to the tablet.
“We’re following him.” He says it like a command, but his voice cracks at the edges. His emotions are bleeding through. Four and a half months of fear and rage simmering under his skin.
I don’t argue.
Just grab my knives and gun and tuck them away.
It takes us twenty minutes to tail him across the city, weaving throughshadows and loading docks. The air smells like rust and salt, the fog hanging thick over the cranes.
Jace walks like he knows exactly where he’s going.
Luca swears under his breath. “Why is he at his dad’s port at this hour?”
I don’t have an answer. But I know we can’t assume anything with Jace anymore.
We track him between stacks of containers until he climbs the steel steps of an observation catwalk overlooking the water. He stops, perfectly still, scanning the dark horizon like he’s waiting for something.
Luca steps out first, not even trying to hide his anger.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
Jace doesn’t jump, doesn’t turn. Doesn’t even flinch.
He just exhales—slow and controlled— before glancing back at us.
“Go home.”
Luca laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “Wrong answer. Try again.”
Jace looks back to the horizon, jaw tightening.
“I don’t have time for this.”
I step beside Luca. “Then make time.”
The waves crash, fog curls around us. Nothing but silence.
“You shouldn’t be here.” Jace finally speaks.
Luca steps forward, chest-to-chest with him. “Well, too bad, so sad. We’re already here so just let us in. You’re beginning to sound like a broken record.”
Jace’s eyes flash but they’re unreadable as always.
“Shut up and stay out of it, Luca.”
“No.” Luca’s body locks up.
The hair on my arms rise. “Jace,” I say carefully, “what are you involved in?”
“Nothing you’re equipped to handle.”
Luca’s voice turns into a growl. “You don’t get to talk to us like that, not after everything.”
“Both of you leave. Now.” He turns away. Luca grabs his arm. Jace yanks so hard that Luca stumbles.
