Chapter 11 Underlying The Surface

• Jackson's POV
• As I walked the length of my office, the weight of failure pressed down on me. The moon's light hardly broke through the tree canopy outside the window, creating long, black shadows over the space. We had come back from the border hours ago, and my imagination still ran with every worst-case scenario.
• Tonight I had almost lost Caleb. My son, the idea seized my chest and tightened. "This isn't over," Ava said still ringing in my ears. She knew exactly what I needed. Blackthorn was not yet done, and we couldn afford another near call. Not under the traitor still among our ranks.