Chapter 93 Three Words Unanswered: Part Two

• The safehouse emerges from the darkness like a ghost, nothing like the fortress I’d imagined. Gone are the ornate gates and security tower I’ve grown accustomed to. Instead, moonlight catches on simple wooden siding and wide windows that reflect the lake’s shimmer. It’s the kind of place that would look welcoming under different circumstances—the kind of place where normal people might come to escape their everyday lives.
• Normal. What does that even mean?
• The garage door closes behind us with a mechanical whir as Tavin pulls the car to a complete stop. Under harsh fluorescent lights, reality feels somehow sharper. Every detail demands attention, as if my mind is trying to anchor itself in observation to avoid drowning in fear.