Page 81 of Lock

“It was protection,” I said, stopping him before this went further.

Wraith’s brow lifted. “Protection is one thing. You didn’t assign two men to shadow him. You gave him your vest.”

Since I couldn’t explain it to myself, I didn’t respond.

“Giving your cut to him like that?” Wraith continued, voice steady. “That’s not just protection, Lock. That’s a message.”

“It’s temporary.”

Wraith hummed like he didn’t believe me.

I felt irritation scrape down my spine, sharp and familiar. “Do you have an actual concern, or are you here to be annoying before breakfast?”

Wraith’s mouth twitched.

Then his face sobered.

“Actual concern,” he said. “That scout on the road earlier? Grim thinks it’s a Reaper rider.”

I stilled.

“That’s what Slate said,” I replied.

“No,” Wraith said. “I mean Grim thinks it’s him.”

My stomach went cold.

“Rowan?” I asked.

Wraith nodded once. “Not confirmed. But the way he moved. The way he didn’t come close enough to be seen, but close enough to be felt.”

Rowan had a presence. It was the kind you could sense even if you didn’t know him. Like violence had learned how to walk in human skin.

I leaned forward, resting my forearms on the desk.

“He wouldn’t come alone,” I said quietly.

“No,” Wraith agreed. “But he might come first.”

I stared at the grain in the wood like it had the answers.

If Rowan was close, Kellan wasn’t safe.

Not because Rowan would come gently, but because Rowan didn’t rescue. He reclaimed.

And anything Rowan thought had been touched, anything that didn’t feel like it belonged to him anymore, got punished for it.

“Where’s Grim?” I asked.

“Running comms,” Wraith said. “He’s already set new routes. Fuse is checking perimeter and cameras again.”

Good.

“Ember with the kid?” I asked.

Wraith nodded. “She’s doing what you told her. But she’s not happy about it. She likes the kid.”

I exhaled hard through my nose.