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Then she looked up at me, pale eyes locking onto mine.

“I am,” she replied.

Lie. But she slowed anyway.

Good.

Deciding to take a different route than I had earlier with my questioning, I reached for my coffee, letting the silence sit. No pressure. No questions. Just space.

Predators don’t like being cornered.

And Zara?

She didn’t know what she was yet. But I was pretty sure I did. And her body was starting to figure it out too.

“You like it here?” I asked.

Her shoulders lifted in a small shrug. “It’s quiet.”

Something in my chest shifted at that.

“Too quiet?” I asked.

As she chewed her food, I could see her thinking about it. Then she shook her head.

“No.”

Yeah. That tracked too. I pushed my plate aside.

“You won’t be here long today,” I told her. “You’re going to stay with my friend Lily for a bit.”

Her expression softened just a fraction.

“Okay.”

No questions. No fear. Just trust.

I didn’t like how that sat in my chest. Didn’t like that I didn’t want to break it. My phone buzzed against the table. Saved me from thinking too hard about that.

I glanced down. Hack. I stood, grabbing it.

“Eat,” I told Zara. “I’ll be right back. I’ll just be right out there,” I explained, motioning to the back door.

She nodded, already focused on finishing what was left.

I stepped out onto the back porch, shutting the door behind me before answering, “Talk, brother.”

Hack didn’t waste time.

“I got something,” he said, keys clacking in the background. “Actually, I got a lot—and none of it makes sense.”

“That tracks,” I muttered. “A lot doesn’t make sense.”

“Katalina Kingston first,” he started.

My grip tightened.

“She’s real. Documented movement, multiple countries, aliases—but a consistent pattern. She shows up, something dies, she disappears.”