Hazel and Francisco had shared a quiet dinner, with Hazel constantly searching Francisco's face for any hint of his thoughts. He remained unreadable, his usual composure in place, giving away nothing about whether he had watched the footage of her confrontation with Lilith.

After dinner, Hazel found herself on the porch, staring into the night, her mind racing with questions. Had Francisco seen the footage? What did he think? The uncertainty gnawed at her. She was deep in thought when ...