Ryn looked to his left, a trail of smoke coming from the distance caught his eye immediately.
So it was true…
Shit.
He swung his gaze back to the fleeing administrator.
The man was limping now, desperate, half-exhausted. With a few steps of Aquila, Ryn could reach him—tackle him, interrogate him, rip the relic out of his hands before the Cult ever got the chance to use it.
It was the logical choice.
But a thought crept in, eerily cold.
Why Jay?
In this timeline, he wasn't an established person yet, he was just a civilian—
A chill crawled down his spine.
Do they…know the future as well?
The administrator was nearly out of sight now, cloak whipping in the wind as descended to the streets below.
Ryn could still chase him…but his subconscious told him differently.
If the Cult was targeting even civilians like Jay…then the Ceremony wasn't their only plan.
Jay's kidnapping wasn't a coincidence.
His decision sharpened instantly.
"Damn it," he hissed, pivoting on his heel.
