At Breakfast

Dean finally shook off his uncertainty and went back to his room. Sleep did not come easily—his mind kept coming back to Thalia, her mysterious disappearance, the way she had looked at him as she left. But finally, exhaustion overcame him.

Light crept through the blinds when he woke. He stretched, stiff muscles cracking, but his resolve was firm. Today, he'd get answers.

He made his way down to the dining room, where a few of the gang members were lounging about, eating and talking. Thalia was there, sitting at the head of the table, sipping coffee as if she had not vanished into thin air the night before.

She looked at him as he entered, her eyes cold and unreadable.

Dean grabbed a plate, walking with a casual ease, and sat down in front of her. "Morning," he said.

"Morning," she replied brusquely, eyes just barely narrowing.

He took a few bites before reclining. "Didn't see you around after you left last night. Where'd you go?"

Her expression didn't shift. If anything, her lips curled into a small smirk. "None of your business."

The words were cold, absolute. A reminder of who was in charge.

Dean held her gaze for an instant, then let out a low laugh and threw up his hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough."

But he knew, deep inside—she was hiding something. And whatever that was, made her even more lethal.