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‘I thinkin loveis the more appropriate term,’Sayagul said with a snicker.

In love? Yeah, maybe.

Maybe.

“Welcome to Angelthene, small fry,” he said.

Shay opened those pretty green eyes—and grinned. “Welcome to Angelthene, Shadows.”

He sucked in another breath through his nose. “Smell that?” he said on the exhale.

“Trash?” she teased, her eyes dancing. “Puke? Blood?” Yeah, maybe a little, but?—

“Freedom,” he said. Her grin broadened.

“Well, what’d I tell ya?” Dean said with a smile as he and Paxton stepped out of Iris, their doors thumping shut. Dean opened his arms in presentation and declared, “You made it.”

“I was starting to think we never would,” Roman confessed, taking in the canvas of stars winking softly above their heads. He took out a cigarette, placed it between his teeth, and lit up.

Paxton was gazing out at Angelthene’s skyline with awe while snacking on the last of his fries, his hand buried in the brown paper bag. They’d stopped at a fast food joint at the MiraclePlaza before heading here, everyone too starving to wait any longer to eat.

“So, what do you think, Pax?” Roman asked him as he slid his lighter into his pocket, smoke rippling out of his lips.

“I think it’s cool,” Paxton said, still marveling at the sight of a brand-new city. He’d rarely ever left Yveswich, and when he did it was either with Donovan or his school. Pax had been a prisoner to Ker’s capital just as much as Roman was prisoner to it.

To their father. This change was good for the both of them.

And the Selkie who’d come with, her face alight with excitement as she, too, scanned the tall buildings scraping Angelthene’s twilit sky. They were all starting over tonight. Sprinting toward a new beginning.

“Think we should do some sight-seeing tomorrow?” Roman said.

Paxton beamed.“Really?”he exclaimed.

“Yeah, really.” He took a drag and blew the smoke away from Pax. “We’ll get Darien to be our tour guide.”

A laugh bubbled out of Paxton; the sound made Roman smile. Despite all the shit they’d lived through these past few days, his brother was happy. It madehimhappy. “Darien the Tour Guide,” Paxton said, still chuckling. He stuffed another fry into his mouth.

“When was the last time you were here?” Dean asked.

“Fuck,years.I haven’t been here since before Travis moved.” His mention of his other brother had him looking north—toward Yveswich.

He took his phone out and checked for any new messages.

Still nothing. It had been…how many days now?

Too long. Travis should have contacted him by now.

Shay was studying him. The look on her face told Roman she knew exactly what he was thinking. She didn’t ask him anythingabout Travis, though—for Paxton’s benefit, Roman knew. The last thing the kid needed right now was to worry about anything else. His life was difficult enough.

Roman would handle the situation with Travis. Would protect Paxton from unnecessary stress—just like always.

A pair of headlights swept across the parking lot, drawing Roman’s attention to a sleek black sports-car.

“Is that Darien?” Shay asked, squinting as those headlights lit up her face.

“Looks like it.”

The engine growled as Darien parked two stalls down. He shut off the car and got out, Loren swinging open the door on the passenger’s side. Darien waited for her to round the car, his lethal gaze picking apart the night for any threats. He took her hand, and as they began heading toward them, Darien finally tore his attention off Loren. Looked their way?—