Chapter Forty-One

Ethan sighed as he leaned back in the taxi, the dull hum of the engine a steady backdrop to his thoughts. The city lights blurred past the window, a cacophony of neon signs and streetlamps casting an otherworldly glow on the wet pavement. Rowan, who was driving, remained silent, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, the tension between them palpable.

They had been driving for hours, zigzagging through the maze of city streets to throw off any potential tails. Ethan’s mind replayed the events of the evening over and over, the image of Ian Cruise’s lifeless body still fresh in his mind. He hadn’t wanted to kill Ian, not really. But he had to. It was the only way to send a message, to make it clear that Hades was not someone to be toyed with.

Now, they were heading back to the SUV they had parked in a dark alley on the outskirts of the city. The taxi served its purpose as a decoy, a way to move through the city without drawing suspicion. They couldn’t afford to be caught now, not with the en