Sloane’s POV
Tugging my long-sleeved turtleneck over my wrists, I enter the cafe. The high collar covers most of my neck, which is precisely why I chose it this morning. After everything that has happened, the last thing I need is someone examining my skin and asking questions I don't feel ready to answer.
‘Relax,’ Zia coaches, unusually cheerful now that she no longer has to dim herself.
The cafe is crowded with mostly strangers, though a few faces are familiar. For once, I don't immediately search the room for Xavier.
That doesn't mean he's been absent from my thoughts all morning. If anything, he's become harder to ignore now that leaving Black Shadow no longer feels as simple as buying a ticket and disappearing.
Before, I had a plan: finish my certificates, save enough money, leav
