The alley fell quiet.

  Rell stood still, fingers twitching, eyes locked on Myla and Grinish. Grinish was brushing dust off his shoulder. Myla hadn’t moved—just staring, wide-eyed, like her brain hadn’t caught up to what her heart already knew.

  Thessia and Neyxa stayed close. Silent.

  Rell opened his mouth.

  Nothing came out.

  He looked at them again. Jaw clenching. Breath stuttering.

  “I…”

  He tried again. Sound cracked and low.

  “After blast… everything… broke.”

  “I woke… alone.”

  “Thought… dead. All of you.”

  “Thought I die too.”

  His gaze dropped to the dirt beneath his boots. Fist tightening.

  Thessia touched his back gently. Neyxa stepped in beside him, resting her hand on his arm. Neither said anything. Didn’t need to.

  Rell swallowed, still shaking.

  Grinish stepped forward, rubbing the back of his neck. “Hey... we didn’t know you made it, man. We really didn’t.”

  He gave a weak chuckle. “Damn. If Selena saw you cryin’ like this, she’d say you went soft.”

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  Rell’s head snapped up.

  Before anyone could react, he grabbed Grinish by the collar and slammed him into the wall—hard.

  The force knocked dust loose from the stone.

  His voice came out tight, breath hot through clenched teeth.

  “Where… she?”

  Grinish froze. Eyes wide. Myla stepped in fast, hand out.

  “Rell.”

  He didn’t move.

  “Let him go.”

  Rell’s hand trembled. Not from anger—but from everything else.

  Then slowly, he let Grinish drop.

  Grinish coughed once. No fight in him.

  Myla stepped between them, calm but firm.

  “You want answers? Come with us,” she said. “You’ll get them. Just not here.”

  Rell nodded once. Shoulders still tense. Thessia exhaled. Neyxa stayed close.

  Grinish gave a crooked smirk as he stood up. “Still hit like a beast.”

  Thessia glared. “You’re lucky that’s all he did.”

  “Yeah… fair.”

  The group moved out of the alley together. No more talking.

  But Rell?

  Rell didn’t hear the footsteps.

  Didn’t hear the wind.

  Only thing he heard was the echo in his head:

  “It can’t be… I thought they were dead.”

  “But if they’re here… then that means Selena’s—?”