❝how do you kill a monster without becoming one?❞
In the last city ruled by man, fish soar in the skies above and monsters lurk in the alleys below. Ten years ago, Jase lost both his legs and his mother to one such monster. However, tragedy couldn't...
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Kova had refused to let go of the little Smile.
His brain had turned off at some point and he was relying purely on instinct. Which was stupid. Instinct had almost gotten him shot. Kova was halfway certain that Jase had figured everything out at the Rose Petal Ball. And Kova knew that if Jase ever acted on that information, Kova would have to kill him. But for now, Kova could just ignore it.
Kova had known who Calia Mallic was. One of Red's dogs. Her killings had increased over the past year and Kova was fine with ridding the world of someone who killed for pleasure. When Jase selected a case with Smile who killed only to survive, Kova tried to keep them safe.
He had not wanted to work at Stingray. It was a purely tactical position. He spied on the enemy, tracked Red's movements, and kept innocents safe.
But there were times Kova failed. Like on his first case. And his most recent one. Calia had been killing more to feed her daughter. A daughter that Stingray would not hesitate to kill. Or experiment on.
She was curled in Kova's arms, her face buried in his chest. She was sleeping and Kova would do everything in his power to keep it that way. At least until he got home. He had ditched Jase somewhere along the way, carrying the little girl out of the apartment and as far away as he could get her.
It was all he could do.
He climbed up the porch steps, guilt weighing heavier than it ever had. There had been very few things he wished he could undo as much as this. If he could, he'd go back and never accept that case. Or maybe, he never would have joined Stingray in the first place.
Kova realized his hands were shaking as he tried to grab the doorknob but he just couldn't get a grip on it. Frustration boiled beneath his skin as he clenched his jaw. He was so pathetic he couldn't even open a damn door. Kova tightened his grip around the handle, forcing the door open and almost running right into Lilja.
She was wearing her white coat, probably headed to work, but her eyes widened as she caught Kova in her arms.
"Ko? What are you doing back so early?" Lilja cupped her hands around his face. "Are you okay? Who's the kid?" Her rough fingers brushed the tears from his eyes as Kova pressed himself into Lilja's embrace. Her arms were warm and her scent was familiar, bringing some comfort. "Kōvhakiēl, what is going on?"
Shaking his head, Kova couldn't find the right words. Fanaka would have been able to explain why she was crying. Fanaka wouldn't be crying in the first place. Fanaka would have realized that Calia had a child.
Fanaka would have known what to do.
But Kova was not Fanaka. He was not kind or smart or good.
"Kōvhakiēl!" Lilja snapped, jerking his head up so that he was looking at her dark eyes. Kova blinked, staring at her with his foggy gaze. "You have to tell me what's going on." Her tone was desperate. "You can't shut down on me again."
