June staggered through the alley, clutching her bleeding side after her fight with Kaede. She’d won the round, but at a brutal cost. The crowd that had lost money on her wasn’t about to let her walk away—shouts rose, fists clenched, and she was shoved to the ground, surrounded by angry faces closing in.

Then, out of nowhere, a hooded figure burst through the mob. They rammed into the knot of people, knocking them aside, and shoved June forward, practically throwing her toward safety before vanishing down the alley. June barely had time to process it.

Nearby, Day was watching with Tess. Tess perched high above on a rooftop, sharp-eyed and protective, her gaze always drifting back to him. She’d never admit it, but her feelings ran deeper than the friendship Day believed they had.

Without hesitation, Day hurled a small bomb into the fray. It detonated with a deafening whump, filling the street with a choking brown cloud. As the chaos erupted, he darted forward, crouching beside June. He reached out to help her up, but froze when he caught sight of the hooded figure’s retreating face vanishing around a corner. For a heartbeat, he considered chasing them—but not now. Later.

He turned back to June, gripped her arm, and pulled her to her feet. “Come on.” Without looking back, he guided her through the smoke, running toward Tess.