The city looked different in the early morning light. Smoke still hung in the air near the warehouse, but the sun did not care about what had happened there. It rose slowly, painting the sky with soft colors that felt wrong after so much violence. Sirens echoed far away, growing quieter with every passing second. Kai and Aria moved through empty streets, both too tired to speak.
Every step Kai took sent pain through his body. His ribs hurt, his head throbbed, and his hands shook when he tried to steady them. Still, he stayed upright, driven by habit and pride. He had survived worse nights than this, but never one that cost him so much. The fight had ended, but his body did not know that yet.
Aria stayed close to him, her arm wrapped around his waist. She could feel how tense he was, how
