The city square had been transformed into a carnival of lights.
Neon banners stretched across lamp posts, food stalls sizzled with grilled meats and fried treats, and the air was thick with the mixed scents of sugar, smoke, and fireworks yet to come.
Everywhere, there was music. A brass band blasted patriotic medleys at one end while teenagers waved glowsticks to a DJ at another. The July night sky shimmered with anticipation, the whole thing wrapped around a massive stage where the world's most famous artists would soon perform.
Hermes could not stand it.
His shoulders were stiff, eyes darting to every shadow, every stray hand that brushed too close to his coat. He muttered under his breath as the crowd pressed around them.
"Too many exits. Too many vantage points. Surveillance blind spots all over… This is a setup. Has to be."
Aphrodite stayed close beside him, reaching out as though to steady Hermes, but Hermes flinched at the touch.
