Page 71 of Unseen Eye (Aetherian Chronicles #1)

We spend the rest of the day—and well into the night—cleaning up, burning bodies, and tending to the wounded.

The cost of victory weighs heavily, with over three dozen lives lost. Each death feels like a personal tragedy.

Cal takes the time to speak with every grieving family, offering them aid and whatever comfort he can provide.

By the time we find ourselves at the pub, alcohol is more than just wanted—it’s needed. Scratch that, after the last two days, it’s practically medicinal. I collapse into a chair, feeling the exhaustion set in. I could probably count the hours of sleep I’ve had on one hand.

Izzy, already several drinks in, tries to focus on us, though her finger wavers in the wrong direction. “What I wanna know,” she slurs, “is where the hell were you two when all this started?”

I glance at Cal and feel the heat rise to my cheeks.

The Waters of Truth, his confession—it feels like it happened a lifetime ago, not hours.

He’s watching me, waiting for me to respond.

I raise my glass, trying to suppress a smile.

“We took a field trip,” I say, spilling a bit of my drink in the process.

No need to dive into everything right now.

Theo, however, isn’t as easily distracted. “Really? That’s the question? How about how the hell they found us here in the first place?” He looks directly at Cal. “There’s no way they just stumbled upon this place, right?”

Cal’s tone is dry, but there’s a hint of tired amusement. “After all these years, you’re just now questioning it? No, they didn’t trace it here through normal means. We’ve been careful. The shield’s been up.” His voice grows serious. “It’s possible there’s a traitor. Or… they found another way.”

I sigh, leaning back. “Either way, we need rest. We’re no good to anyone if we’re running on fumes. Tomorrow, we’ll start looking for answers. Tonight... let’s just breathe.”

Everyone nods in agreement, the weight of exhaustion finally settling in. For a moment, the pub falls into a quiet lull, the adrenaline fading. Despite everything, there’s a sense of unity—an unspoken resolve to face whatever comes next. Together.

As the night wears on, the pub empties out, one by one. People head to their homes or find a quiet corner to crash. Cal and I linger until the very end, making sure everyone is settled before heading out into the cool night air.

Walking to the edge of the shield, Cal slips his hand into mine.

His voice is steady, reassuring. “We’ll get through this, Eva.

We always do.” There’s an unspoken list of what “this” could be—longer than either one of us would like to admit.

But after some sleep tomorrow, we’ll tackle it all, starting with what caused the attack and ending with… who the hell is Dante?

I squeeze his hand, a faint smile tugging at my lips. “I know. We’re stronger together.”

We blink to the townhouse, and I’ve never been more ready for bed in my life. Standing on the roof, looking down at the city, Cal breaks the silence with a teasing tone. “So... about earlier,” he begins, clearly enjoying himself.

“Oh, that little declaration of your undying love?” I smirk, leaning in closer.

He chuckles, pulling me toward him. “Something like that.”

“It was quite the speech,” I say, pretending to be serious. “You should probably write it down. Frame it, even.”

“I’ll get right on that,” he says with a grin, then his expression shifts to something more thoughtful. “But seriously, I’ve been thinking about who we could talk to about Dante.”

“Tomorrow,” I say and nod, my tone matching his. “For now, we need a break.”

“Agreed.” He presses a soft kiss to my forehead.

We head inside, the weight of the day still hanging over us but softened by the comfort of being together. As Cal starts to undress, I can’t help but throw in one more joke. “Just so you know, I’m winning now—two to one—in the tally of dark, important people defeated.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “Oh, we’re keeping score now, are we?”

“Absolutely. Better step up your game, mister.”

“I’ll do my best to catch up,” he says, grinning as he pulls off his shirt.

“And just for the record,” I add, mimicking his earlier tone, “I think you should sleep on the couch tonight for not helping with the warden sooner.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Oh really? Well, in that case, I’ll be sure to always have your back from now on. No more solo heroics for you.”

“We’ll see,” I tease, climbing into bed.

Before Cal can join me, there’s a knock at the door downstairs. He lets out an exasperated sigh. “Now what?” Without missing a beat, I follow behind him.

We reach the bottom of the stairs, and standing at the door are Theo and Izzy. Something in their expressions makes my stomach drop. Their faces are pale. Their eyes wide with an unsettling seriousness that I’ve never seen before. A chilling sense of dread fills the room.

“What is it?” I ask, my heart pounding as I take in their expressions.

Theo runs a hand through his hair, his voice tight with worry. “The attack… it was a diversion.”

The air seems to freeze around me. Before I can ask more, Cal speaks, his voice low and grim. “The Gate in Providence,” he says quietly, “has been opened.”

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