The drive back from the prison was silent, the G-wagon cutting through the city like a shadow. Chloe sat pressed against the leather seat, hands clutched in her lap, her eyes staring blankly out the window. The neon lights flickered against her face, but she barely noticed them.

Valerius drove with the precision of a predator, jaw tight, hands steady on the wheel. Lucius lounged beside her, casual as ever, whistling softly, but even his easy tone could not break the tension in the car.

Chloe's ...