Chapter 190: He is in the city

Max's POV My blood ran cold. The crumpled parchment in Maya's hand seemed to sear itself into my vision. The world narrowed to that small, damning rectangle, and her furious, trembling face. "He is safe. In the city." The words, stark and unambiguous, hammered into my skull, echoing her own "delirious ramblings" with an accuracy that was nothing short of a physical blow. My mind, usually a fortress of logic and strategic calculation, reeled. The carefully constructed walls of my conviction, built on what I deemed sound judgment and empirical evidence, crumbled instantly. The concern for Maya, the automatic, almost patronising urge to remind her of her fragile state, died on my lips, replaced by a profound, gut-wrenching dread. It wasn't just anger in her eyes, but a righteous fury honed by betrayal and grief and entirely justified. "Maya, we…" I started, but my voice failed. It felt thin, inadequate, a pathetic squeak against the roar of her accusation. My gaze darted to Leo, who had f