The town square was loud.
Not with laughter or music—but with voices layered over one another, whispers no longer bothering to stay quiet.
Judgment had grown bold.
Aisha stood near the edge of it all, clutching her coat closed, her head bowed as if that might make her invisible. Every step she took felt heavier than the last.
And then—
The air changed.
A presence cut through the noise like a blade.
Conversations faltered.
Laughter died mid-breath.
Whispers collapsed into uneasy silence.
Boots struck the pavement with deliberate force.
Callen walked straight into the center of the square.
He didn’t rush.
Didn’t hesitate.
Didn’t soften a single step.
His expression was carved from stone, silver eyes blazing with a fury so raw it made grown men instinctively step back.
Peopl
