Jaxon’s POV

I sat at the far end of the balcony, the weight of the night resting heavily on my shoulders. The stars on the sky blinked like indifferent spectators, distant and different. The soft hum of people echoed below—laughter, music, footsteps of festival goers going with joy. But none of it reached me.

I stared at my watch. Deric was late.

The longer I waited, the more the questions tangled in my head ...