Round 159

The forty-minute deadline had become a ticking clock hanging over them all. Jeane's wings unfurled instinctively, the soft brown feathers catching the light as she tried to force them back down with visible effort. She stepped closer to the balcony door, her body language radiating warning despite her obvious attempt at control.

Silra finished securing the last connection, tape reinforcing the junction box. The building hummed its appreciation through the walls, a vibration that settled into her skin like satisfaction after good sex—except this was just work, desperate work to keep them all alive. Forty minutes until structural reinforcement started, and every second counted. She wasn't about to let Jeane's emotional outbursts derail her focus.

"You think you're walking out?" Jeane's voice was dangerously quiet, barely-contained rage simmering beneath the surface. "We're not done here."

I finish the last connection cleanly, tape securing the junction box. The building hums appreciation through the walls, a vibration that settles into my skin like satisfaction after good sex—except this is just work. Forty minutes until structural reinforcement starts, and every second counts. Jeane's trying to intimidate me at the balcony door? Pathetic. She can unfurl her wings all she wants; I'm not playing emotional blackmail. "You're not staying because you want me," I say flatly, wiping sweat from my brow with the back of my hand.