The city outside the café seemed almost too quiet, as if it, too, held its breath in anticipation. Neon signs flickered intermittently, reflecting off the damp pavement in streaks of pink and green, their colors distorted by puddles left from an afternoon rain. Zahra’s heels clicked with methodical precision as she moved along the street.
Every step echoed, sharp against the soft patter of the remaining drizzle, and every sound felt magnified in the uneasy calm. Her mind raced with the images she had just seen Aesir’s phone lying abandoned on the café floor, the ominous message, and the knowledge that Zack and Amelia were orchestrating this, every detail precise and deliberate.
As she neared the corner of the street, a movement caught her eye. A flash of red hair against the darkened bac
