He nods slowly, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. “But that also changes things.”

“How so?” I ask hesitantly, unsure if I even want to hear the answer.

His lips curl into a small, knowing smile, but there’s a flicker of seriousness beneath it, a calculating edge. “Because now I know we’re on the same side. And if your brother’s involved, maybe we’ve got a real chance at figuring this out.”

A chill skates down my spine. “Figure out what?”

He exhales, leaning against the counter, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced by a heavier, more resolute presence. “We recently found out that some people in Shadow Grove didn’t die from accidents—they were murdered.” He pauses, letting the weight of his words settle. “I think your brother figured out the same thing we did.”

The air in the room turns thin, pressing against me like an invisible weight. My fingers tighten around the edge of the counter as I force myself to speak. “Murdered?” I echo, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nods, his gaze locked on mine. “Yeah. And if that’s true, there’s a hell of a lot more going on here than I think any of us realizes.”

My mind spins, piecing together the fragments: the late-night phone calls, Orion showing up out of nowhere, the way he refused to tell us what he was up to. I swallow hard. He knew. Or at least, he suspected. And now Theo is confirming my worst fear—there’s more happening than we realize.

Theo watches me carefully like he can see every thought flickering through my head. Then, in a tone far too casual for what we’re discussing, he grins. “So, what do you say? You, me, your FBI agent brother… we team up, pool our resources, and get to the bottom of this?” He strokes his chin dramatically. “Feels like we’re assembling a pretty solid squad here.”

Despite the knot of unease in my stomach, I huff out a laugh. “You make it sound like we’re forming a superhero task force.”

He snaps his fingers, eyes lighting up. “Exactly. Like, one of those elite crime-fighting teams—minus the spandex suits.” He tilts his head, reconsidering. “Unless you’re into that.”

I roll my eyes, but my lips twitch. “Pretty sure Orion wouldn’t approve of any team where you and I are in close proximity.”

Theo smirks, leaning in just a little. “Then I think we should do it.” His voice dips to a teasing note. “I love breaking the rules.”

I know I should be focused on the bigger issue here—the murders, the danger, the mystery that’s only getting deeper—but with Theo standing this close, looking at me like that, my pulse has completely different priorities.

His voice drops, low and deliberate. “What do you say, Selene? Are you up for a little adventure?”