The car ride was quiet.
Too quiet.
The city lights passed outside the windows in blurred streaks of gold and shadow, but Lena barely noticed them. Every sound felt distant — the engine, Noah’s slow breathing from the back seat, even Alex’s steady driving.
Inside her mind, silence pressed heavily.
Adrian had stopped speaking.
That frightened her more than his voice ever had.
She stared at her hands resting in her lap.
They looked normal.
Familiar.
But they didn’t feel entirely hers anymore.
Are you still there? she thought cautiously.
No response.
Her chest tightened.
Had he gone dormant?
Or was he simply watching?
Alex’s voice broke the silence.
“We’re not going home.”
She looked up.
“Where are we going?”
“A safe house.”
Ivan nodded slightly from the passenger seat. “Af
