Claire’s POV

The optimism in his voice caught my chest. I thought about the anonymous letters, Marcus's fear, the dangerous risk that I was running with forces I barely comprehended. At that point, I asked myself, what would it be like to give it all up? To take the path of least troubles, the easiest one?

"Really," I said.

"Would you maybe like to go out and get a cup of coffee? Catch up properly? No strings, no going over it all. Just two old friends having a chat."

I looked at the ...