Liam's phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. The message was short and blunt:
"Focus the fuck on your fucking future, you little shit."
Liam's eyes widened as he read the text, and a small, disbelieving smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. There was only one person who called him "little shit," and that person was Thalion. The familiarity of the insult, the tone, the timing—it could only be him.
Relief washed over Liam, replacing the grief and confusion with a strange sense of calm. Thalion was alive. He didn't know why Thalion had faked his death or what was happening, but the knowledge that his godfather was still out there was enough to ease the ache in his chest.
Exhausted but content, Liam was about to lie back down and try to get some sleep. But as he turned his head to the side, he glanced at the entrance to his kitchen. Something felt off, and his instincts told him to investigate. He sat up, his eyes narrowing as he tried to pinpoint what was strange.
