Date = 8 November
Place = San Francisco (Damion’s house)
POV - Melaena
“This whole thing has been coming for a long time,” Uncle John says, his voice roughening, like the words are scraping their way out. “We just never thought it would touch you. Not like this.” He swallows hard. “Turns out … we were wrong.”
The room seems to shrink. Even the house — this warm, beautiful dream of a place — feels like it’s holding its breath.
Haley stands abruptly and disappears into the kitchen, the soft clink of glass echoing louder than it should.
“Who exactly is WE?” Ilkay asks, his brow furrowing. There’s a sharp edge under his calm, the kind that says he already knows he won’t like the answer.
Uncle John’s dull gray eyes slide to Jackson. They linger there a beat too long.
His jaw tightens, l
