Colson

Smoke, Mirrors, and Choosing the Lie

Colson POV

I didn’t go straight back to Ezra.

That would’ve been reckless.

But I didn’t avoid the city either.

Avoidance smells like guilt.

So I returned to my apartment.

The place Ezra “generously” provided.

The moment I stepped inside, I locked the door and leaned back against it.

Silence.

Safe enough.

For now.

The fragment pulsed faintly against my ribs, almost like it was testing the room.

“Relax,” I muttered. “You’re not redecorating.”

I moved to the center of the apartment and carefully removed my coat, then my shirt. I unwrapped the fragment slowly, setting it on the table without touching it directly.

It glowed faintly.

Alive.

Watching.

The runes shifted lazily across the surface, like they were thinking.

“Alright,” I said to it. “Let’s discuss storage options.”