The bell chimed behind Kane as he stepped onto the sidewalk, his heart hammering against his ribs.
Through the shop window, he watched Kodiak and Corvus approach Mochi's counter, their conversation too muffled to make out.
Kane forced himself to walk at a normal pace, resisting the urge to sprint.
He wandered until he found himself at a nearby park, settling onto a weathered bench beneath a streetlamp.
The evening air carried the scent of autumn leaves and distant food trucks.
He pulled out his phone, scrolling aimlessly through messages, but his mind kept circling back to the shop.
When he'd been with Cyrus, situations like that felt... manageable.
The dragon had this way of making even the most dangerous spirits seem like minor inconveniences.
There was something about Cyrus's presence that made Kane feel untouchable, like nothing could reach him as long as the dragon was nearby.
Now, sitting alone on a park bench, that security felt miles away.
