Lightning split the sky like a blade, and the thunderclap that followed hit me like a physical blow. My body jerked upright in bed, heart hammering against my ribs as the sound reverberated through the walls.
The storm outside was vicious. Rain lashed against the windows with supernatural fury, and each flash of lightning revealed a world transformed into something wild and unforgiving.
But it was the cold emptiness beside me that truly made my chest tighten. Perry's side of the bed remained untouched, the sheets still crisp and undisturbed. Another night alone. Another night wondering where he disappeared to and what darkness occupied his thoughts.
I pressed my palm against the window, watching the lightning tear through the black sky. The memory of that ship crashed over me—how we would have been thrown around like toys in a storm like this, trapped in that floating prison with nowhere to run. At least here, solid ground stretched beneath my feet.
