Jayce’s vision blurred as his eyes fluttered open, a piercing ring echoing in his ears. His body felt heavy, disoriented, but then he realized—he was being held. Mel’s arms were wrapped around him, her face etched with concern despite the chaos. His breath caught as he cupped her cheeks, his voice frantic, muffled by the ringing in both their ears. “Mel… are you okay?” he asked over and over, his words trembling.

As his hearing slowly returned, the devastation around them came into focus. His heart dropped. Councillor Bolbok… lifeless. Councillor Hoskel… gone. His breath quickened, his wide eyes scanning the scene, and then they landed on Councillor Salo, pinned beneath a massive pillar. The enforcers struggled to free him, but Jayce knew, even from here, that Salo would never walk again.

And then, he saw her—Councillor Cassandra Kiramman. Still. Motionless. Dead. Jayce gasped, his body stiffening. “No… no,” he whispered, breaking away from Mel’s grasp and stumbling toward her. He fell to his knees beside Cassandra, shaking her shoulders as if he could wake her. “Cassandra!” he cried out, his mind racing to Caitlyn. How could he possibly tell her?

But the air shifted—his mind screamed another name. Viktor. His heart pounded as he remembered where Viktor had been when the explosion struck. Slowly, almost unwillingly, Jayce turned his head to the left. His world shattered.

Viktor’s body lay crushed beneath the wreckage, the remains of the council chamber burying him completely. Jayce froze, his chest tightening until it was hard to breathe. His hands trembled, his eyes filling with tears that spilled down his cheeks unchecked. His lips quivered as he struggled for air, each shaky gasp barely enough.