The city was on fire.
Not from the flames of destruction—but from the war that was about to come.
Shade stood on the rooftop of a skyscraper, the wind howling around him. His eyes burned with purpose. His body hummed with power—controlled now, his own.
Jade stood beside him, arms crossed, her face unreadable. "You really want to do this?"
Shade exhaled. "Lucian is dead, but his empire isn't. The Vultures are still out there. The Revenants are still out there."
His voice darkened.
"And I'm going to finish what I started."
Jade studied him. "You're sure you're not just looking for a reason to burn everything down?"
Shade's jaw clenched.
Because deep down?
Maybe he was.