Chapter 25 Shattered Shadows

• Vanessa burst out of the vault doors, her lungs burning, her heart slamming violently against her ribs like a caged beast desperate for escape. The thick, suffocating fog outside swallowed her whole, muting the distant sounds of the city—car horns, sirens, the hum of late-night life into an eerie, muffled silence. The cold air stung her cheeks, but she barely registered it. Adrenaline surged through her veins, sharpening her senses even as exhaustion threatened to pull her under.
• She stumbled into the nearest alley, her boots slipping on the slick pavement. The sealed envelope, the one she had risked everything to retrieve, was clutched tightly against her chest, the edges digging into her fingers. Her mind raced in frantic circles. Where was Gideon? The last time she had seen him, he was holding off Donovan’s men, buying her time to escape. Had he made it out? Was he even alive?
• The thought sent a fresh wave of panic through her. She couldn’t lose him. Not now. Not after everything.