Marcus/Rocco
The rain didn't stop.
It followed us all the way back to Seraphina's
apartment, drumming steadily against the windows as if the city itself was
trying to warn us about something.
Or maybe it already had.
Nobody spoke during the drive. Not even Callie. Which
honestly was impressive, knowing the questions she wanted to drill me with.
The moment we stepped inside, Seraphina headed
straight for the wall of maps.
Callie dropped onto the couch.
And I stood there wondering how exactly my life had
gotten to the point where closing holes between realms wasn't even the
strangest thing I'd done.
"You should've listened to her."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Welcome back,
Valen."
"I never left, Rocky."
Right. Unfortunately.
I shrugged off my jacket and tossed it over a chair.
The apartment felt smaller. More crowded.
Not because of the people. Because of the maps.
Now that I knew what they represented, I couldn't stop
looking at them.
Red circles covered entire sections of the city. There
were too many. Far too many.
A week ago I would've thought they were random
markings.
Now I knew every single one represented a fracture
between worlds.
A doorway. A threat. A countdown.
"Rocco."
I looked up. Seraphina was staring at me.
Here we go.
"What happened back there?"
Straight to the point as always. I admired the
consistency.
"With which part?"
"The tear."
Never mind. Worth a shot. I shoved my hands into my
pockets.
"I don't know."
Seraphina's eyes narrowed immediately. "That's not an
answer."
"It's the only one I have."
"You walked directly toward a growing tear."
"Yes."
"You ignored me."
"Also, yes."
Callie groaned from the couch. "This conversation is
going wonderfully."
Neither of us acknowledged her.
Seraphina crossed her arms.
"You should not have been able to close it."
"Apparently I can."
"Rocco."
The warning in her voice made me sigh.
"I don't know what you want me to say."
"The truth would be a good start."
For a moment, I just looked at her. Then at the maps,
at the bracelet.
"Maybe I'm just tired of everything." The words
slipping out before I could stop them.
Seraphina looked away. Callie's expression softened.
The room felt different all off a sudden. Less like an
interrogation, more like a reminder.
"These demons have taken more from us than we have
taken from them," I continued quietly.
"I'd lost my memories. Found out I was someone else.
Lost two sets of parents. And found half the things I thought were impossible
are real. Plus, there is the jumping in front of a demon to save my sister and
get stabbed to death part too."
I laughed once. The sound wasn't particularly amused.
"So, forgive me if my reaction to seeing these tears
isn't exactly rational."
Nobody spoke. Except Valen. Of course.
"What a performance. You will put the Kings Herald and
court jester to shame." Valen snickered.
Eventually Seraphina sighed.
"You still should've stopped."
"Probably."
"Definitely."
"Fine. Definitely."
Callie snorted. "Look at that. Growth."
An hour later, the tension had mostly faded.
Well, mostly.
Callie was scrolling through her phone while
occasionally pretending she wasn't staring at me.
Seraphina sat at a table surrounded by maps and notes.
And I stood by the window overlooking the city.
The rain had weakened. Below, headlights drifted
through the darkness.
Normal people. Living normal lives. Luck bastards.
"You know, she's suspicious." Valen appeared beside
me.
I didn't bother looking beside me.
"Really? What gave it away?"
"The interrogation."
"Helpful."
"I try."
I hated that response. Mostly because he kept using
it. The silence stretched between us.
"Valen Caelum, huh?"
For the first time all night, he actually looked
surprised. Only slightly. Only for a second.
"So that's what we're calling me now."
"It's your name."
"It is."
"You forgot to mention that."
Valen considered it, then shrugged.
"You never asked, Rocky."
I groaned. "That answer is getting old."
"Yet, it remains remarkably effective."
Unfortunately, he wasn't wrong. I hated when he wasn't
wrong.
"What happened to you?"
Valen tilted his head. "That is an exceptionally broad
question."
"You know what I mean."
For once, he didn't answer immediately. The city
lights reflected the gold in his eyes faintly.
For the briefest moment, amusement disappeared from
his face. Stillness replacing the expression. He looked lost in thought. Like
I'd accidently touched something buried. Ancient.
Then it vanished. The smile returned.
"There are very few stories with happy endings,
Rocky."
I frowned. "That's not an answer."
"No," His smile widened. "It was not meant to be."
I stared at him. "One day you're going to tell me."
"A terrifying prospect."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
That stopped me. Because he actually sounded it. The
amusement was still there. But something else sat beneath it.
"Will you?"
Valen looked toward the city. I wasn't sure he'd
answer. Then-
"Perhaps." I blinked.
That was new. Normally he would be ignored the
question entirely.
"Perhaps?"
"A remarkable improvement over 'absolutely not,' would
you not agree?"
I sighed. "You're impossible."
"So I have been told."
A sharp beep suddenly cut through the apartment again.
Every head turned. Seraphina was already standing. One
of the monitors near the maps flashed red.
My stomach sank. Not again.
Callie sat up immediately.
"What is it?"
Seraphina stared at the screen. The colour drained
slightly from her face.
"Another tear."
The room fell silent. Of course, there was.
She moved quickly toward the map. A new red marker
flashed near the eastern side of the city. Then another. And another.
My stomach dropped. Three.
Three separate locations. Callie noticed too.
"That's… bad."
"Very."
Seraphina rubbed a hand across her face. Since I'd met
her, I've never seen her so… exhausted.
"We're running out of time."
I frowned. "What does that mean?"
Seraphina looked toward the wall of maps. Toward the
growing collection of red circles spreading across the city. Then she looked
directly at me.
"We find these tears before Cassian does."
The room went quiet. Because none of us needed her to
explain what happened if we failed.
I glanced toward Valen. He was watching the map with
unusual interest.
Which worried me more. Then Seraphina's gaze shifted.
From me, to the bracelet. And back again.
There was something different in her expression now.
Uncertainty.
As if she was looking at a puzzle that no longer fit
together. Like she wasn't sure whether I
was becoming the solution…
Or the problem.