That evening, Ethan stood alone on the balcony of his temporary residence in Blackwood Tower, his hands resting on the cold steel railing as he stared out over the sprawling city below. Thousands of lights glittered in the darkness like scattered stars. From up here the streets looked calm, peaceful even, but Ethan knew better.
Colonel Graves had insisted Ethan relocate here after the destruction of the manor. The tower was reinforced, heavily guarded, and designed to withstand assaults that would reduce ordinary buildings to rubble. From a tactical standpoint, it was perfect.
From a personal standpoint, it felt like a cage.
The cool night wind brushed against Ethan’s face as he watched distant traffic moving like slow rivers of light far below. For a rare moment, everything was quiet.
