The explosion didn’t just shake the city, it shook Noa’s soul.

He was still staring out the back window of the car, eyes wide, mouth open, the words frozen in his throat. Flames licked up into the night sky behind them, black smoke curling like claws into the stars. The sound of it raw, violent kept echoing in his chest like it was still happening. Like it would never stop.

“Turn back,” he choked.

His brother didn’t flinch. His hands were tight on the headrest in front of him, his jaw ...