This isn’t just about the bond anymore.
I knew it the moment I saw Cyrus sitting smugly across from me in that courtroom, manipulating every system he could get his claws into. He didn’t care about justice, about peace, about anyone's healing. This wasn’t about our relationship. This was about control.
And now… war.
“No,” Jaxon said again, his jaw tight, fists clenched at his sides. “This is war.”
I followed him out of the chamber, adrenaline making my legs weak. My hands were shaking, and I didn’t even notice until Jaxon took one in his, holding it with quiet steadiness as we walked in silence toward the exit.
“Where are we going?” I asked softly once we stepped outside.
“Somewhere quiet,” he said. “Where you can breathe.”
We didn’t go far. Just a few blocks down to one of those al
