They didn't make it far before the pattern broke again.
Julian felt it just before the turn ahead, the same shift in the air that no longer came as a surprise. He slowed slightly, attention sharpening as the corridor narrowed.
Lucian didn't ask why, because he already knew.
They reached the corner together.
Julian was about to take the turn when movement cut across the space ahead of them.
A figure stepped out first. Calm, unhurried and already in control.
The second figure followed because he had no choice.
Julian's focus locked immediately.
The man was restrained, not by force alone, but by something more precise. His arms were held at an angle that denied leverage, his movement cut off before it could form into resistance. The hold wasn't rough. It didn't need to be. It was exact.
Michael.
Julian recognized him at once, not just his face but with the memory came with it.
