The city blurred past Hades as he drove.
Streetlights. Empty sidewalks. Closed shops. The occasional car splashing through puddles. He'd been searching for hours, his eyes scanning every corner, every alley, every shadow.
Where are you?
His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. His jaw was clenched. His heart was pounding—fast, erratic, a rhythm he hadn't felt in centuries.
He'd faced wars. Plagues. The end of empires. He'd watched civilizations crumble and stars burn out. None of it had ever made him feel like this.
Like the ground was disappearing beneath his feet.
Like he couldn't breathe.
He pulled out his phone and dialed Amy's number. It went straight to voicemail. He tried again. Nothing.
She moved, he remembered. She's in London now. Studying. Ken wouldn't go there. He wouldn't leave the country.
But the thought didn't comfort him.
He kept driving.
