Ace's POV
Finally, we reached the parking lot of our building, and I let out a shaky breath as I killed the engine. Relief barely had time to settle before I noticed Atlas and Xavier standing by Xavier's car, their expressions tense. The second they spotted us, I saw the panic flash in their eyes, and they rushed over.
"What the hell happened?" Xavier demanded, his voice sharper than usual. His gaze immediately zeroed in on the dried blood on my arm and the scrape on Phoenix's cheek. Atlas's eyes widened, his usual calm replaced by genuine worry.
I swung my leg over the bike and steadied myself before Phoenix slowly slid off too. "We… went to the mansion," I admitted, glancing at Xavier's darkening expression. "Things got rough. Real rough."
Atlas stepped closer, his hands hovering as if unsure whether to touch or not. "You're both bleeding. Are you okay?"
Phoenix gave a shaky nod, but I could feel his fingers trembling against my jacket. "Just a few cuts. Nothing serious," I said, trying to downplay it despite the sting in my arm.
Xavier didn't buy it. "You look like you barely made it out," he said bluntly, his tone softer than his words. "What the hell were you thinking going there alone?"
I grimaced, not exactly in the mood for a lecture. "We thought we could get some answers. Turns out the spirits aren't exactly happy about being disturbed."
Atlas shot me a disapproving look, but he didn't push it. Instead, he moved to Phoenix and gently lifted his chin, inspecting the scrape on his face. "You really scared us, you know," he said quietly, and Phoenix gave him a weak smile in return.
Xavier exhaled harshly, running a hand through his hair. "Let's get inside. We'll clean up those wounds and figure out what happened."
I didn't argue, too exhausted to put up a front. As we walked toward the entrance, I couldn't help but notice how Xavier stayed just a step closer to me, his eyes flicking over me like he was making sure I wasn't about to collapse. It made something warm bloom in my chest despite everything that just happened.
Once inside, I dropped my helmet on the table and sat down heavily on the couch, wincing as the adrenaline started to wear off and the pain set in. Phoenix slumped down beside me, leaning his head against my shoulder. Atlas was already rummaging through the first-aid kit, while Xavier knelt in front of me, reaching for my injured arm.
"You're an idiot," he muttered, but his touch was surprisingly gentle as he cleaned the cut. I bit back a retort, too tired to argue. Maybe he was right—but we couldn't just sit around and wait for answers. Not when things were escalating.
Phoenix, now calmer, glanced up at Atlas. "It wasn't supposed to get that bad," he whispered. "Something changed in that place. The spirits are restless."
Xavier's eyes darkened, and he glanced at me with a silent question. I just shook my head, knowing we'd have to go back eventually—only next time, we wouldn't be so reckless.