Chapter Thirty-Seven: The War to Bring Her Back
The world did not celebrate its survival.
It mourned.
*****
Aftermath
The ocean had calmed.
Too calm.
The sky had sealed.
Too clean.
The island, what remained of it, was quiet in a way that felt wrong.
Like something essential had been removed.
Because it had.
*****
Jason
He hadn’t moved for hours.
Still kneeling where she had disappeared.
Hands clenched into bloodied fists.
Eyes locked on nothing.
“You said you wouldn’t lose her.”
Maxwell’s voice.
Quiet.
Not accusing.
Just… true.
Jason didn’t respond.
Couldn’t.
Because if he spoke, he might break in a way he couldn’t come back from.
*****
Maxwell
Maxwell stood beside him, composed but hollowed out.
He had already begun thinking.
Already begun calculating.
Alrea
