Kael's POV
Maya had been on my neck for days.
"Come on, Kael," she'd said that morning, her voice a mixture of teasing and persistence. "You've been cooped up here for too long. You need sunlight, noise, life."
I had tried to argue. Lucas's orders were clear—rest, heal, stay quiet while he worked on a plan for Soraya's rescue. But the way Maya's eyes lit up when she talked about the city... it reminded me what it felt like to be human again.
So, I gave in.
Henry drove us down from the safehouse, his usual silent, stoic self. When we reached the plaza, he parked beside a line of taxis and turned in his seat.
"I'll be back in two hours," he said in that calm, serious tone. "Stay within this area. Don't draw attention."
"Two hours?" Maya repeated, pretending to pout. "You sure you don't want to join us?"
Henry just gave her a look, the kind that said absolutely not, and she laughed.
Once he drove off, the world felt wide open.
