Chapter 73

When he got there, Jack hugged him. “You look like shit,” he said in a low voice.

“It didn’t go well.” He reached for Henri and touched her cheek.

“They’re all dead, aren’t they?” she asked.

He shook his head. “No, sweetheart. They found survivors and are bringing them back.”

“Then why do you look so sad?”

Cillian stared at Jack for a moment, hoping to find the answer in his face. But it wasn’t there. “A lot of people did die. And Whalen—he escaped.”

Jack’s eyes widened. “What? How is that possible?!”

“He stole one of the soldiers’ ships. They’re tracking him, but they can’t do anything until he lands.”

Henri buried her face in Cillian’s side. “He’s gonna get us!”

“No way. I won’t let that happen.”

“We’re safe here,” Jack added. His expression said that he felt otherwise, but for their child’s sake, that was his official assessment.

Cillian made the same call. “Whalen doesn’t even know where we are. He’s probably halfway across the world by now.”