Game of Hearts and Secrets

Chapter 68: Game of Hearts and Secrets

Zed's gaze lingered on Jadyn as she approached, her skin glistening with a fine sheen of sweat. For a moment, reality seemed to blur at the edges, and he found himself transfixed by an almost ethereal glow surrounding her. 'Is this another hallucination?' he wondered, his breath catching in his throat.

"What?" Jadyn's voice cut through his reverie, snapping him back to the present.

Jadyn's eyes narrowed as she noticed Zed's distracted expression and the holographic parrot perched nearby. 'Nothing good ever comes from that bird,' she thought, a mixture of amusement and concern crossing her face.

"What were you discussing with our feathered friend?" she asked, her tone light but tinged with curiosity.