The docks burned through the night.
Fire trucks came and went. Smoke climbed into the dark sky. The water reflected orange light, shaking with every wave. Broken machines lay silent, useless now.
Marcus’s world was falling apart.
Aria stood near the edge of the dock, arms wrapped around herself. The cold wind cut through her clothes, but she did not feel it. Her mind was too loud.
Behind her, Kael sat on the back of an armored truck. A medic worked on him, wrapping fresh bandages around his side.
“You’re lucky,” the medic said. “You should be in a bed.”
Kael smiled weakly. “I hear that a lot.”
The medic shook her head and walked away.
Aria turned and rushed to him.
“You shouldn’t have moved like that,” she said. “You could have torn everything open.”
Kael looked at her calmly. “Y
