Chapter 23 · Countdown at the Ferry Station

The ferry station had been abandoned for eleven years, but the rain still found its way inside.

It came through the broken roof in silver needles, struck the rusted departure board, and ran in trembling lines down the old timetable. Most of the letters had peeled away. LAST FERRY TO EASTBANK remained visible in red, though the route had been flooded out years ago.

Lin Lan stumbled beneath the sagging awning and caught herself against a ticket booth. Pain flashed from her ribs to her shoulder. Her fingers slipped on wet glass.

Behind her, Tavi slammed the iron service door shut.

The door shuddered once.

Then again.

Something on the other side dragged a nail down the metal.

“Tell me that’s the wind,” Tavi said.

“It’s the wind,” Soren answered.

Tavi turned on him. “You sound like a man who knows the wind personally.”

Soren pressed one hand against his blood-soaked side. His municipal inspector’s coat had been torn open at the waist, exposing a strip of black binding wrapped around his ribs. The mark beneath it glowed faintly, a red line shaped like a buyer’s seal.

“The market has never needed doors,” Soren said.