Tila sprawled across the mattress like she owned it, one leg slung over the side, flipping through hospital channels with a bored scowl.
She landed on a cartoon, all bright colors and screeching voices, and cranked the volume to max.
Lila perched at the bed's edge, legs curled beneath her, her black eyes fixed on the screen but distant, like she was seeing something else entirely.
They're safe, Kael thought, the words grounding him.
"I'm heading to the basement," he said, his voice calm but firm. "Freya and Rhea are on their way. Don't open the door for anyone but me. Got it?"
Lila nodded, her gaze flicking to him. "Understood."
"Yeah, yeah," Tila muttered, not looking up from the TV. "Whatever."
Kael stepped into the corridor, the door clicking shut behind him.
The hospital hallway stretched out, unnervingly quiet for a city medical hub.
The fluorescent lights flickered, their buzz louder than it should've been, each pulse grating against his nerves.
