EVEN WITHOUT NAMING YOU

CHAPTER 7

The music of the ball faded as Ekko walked away from the main hall, his mind clouded by the sight of "Jinder." This girl... she looked so much like Jinx, but at the same time, something was off. The look, maybe. Less outbursts of madness, more control.

He ran a hand over his face, trying to dispel the whirlwind of emotions. Why had Miss Luxanna taken him away so quickly? He had tried to follow, but the crowd had slowed him down, and now they were gone. Maybe he should never have come here under this "Councillor Hale" identity.

He looked up to the upper floor, where Mel was chatting with a group of influential guests. She had this air of sovereignty, this confidence that contrasted with the inner chaos he felt rising within him. Focus, Ekko. You are here to protect Mel. Nothing else.

But despite his efforts, his mind kept returning to that girl. And to Jinx.

The sound of laughter caught his attention. A man was approaching Mel, dressed soberly but with a menacing aura. Ekko immediately noted that it was the man the famous Jinder had been talking to earlier.

He stepped forward, his senses on alert. The man had an icy smile, and something in his posture screamed danger. Mel, oblivious to the threat, continued to speak calmly and confidently.

When the man pulled out a knife, everything seemed to slow down.

Ekko reacted instinctively, his arm grabbing the assailant's before the blade hit Mel. A brief but brutal struggle ensued, the knife falling to the ground with a metallic thud.

The man growled and tried to free himself, but Ekko gave him a blow that made him stagger. As he caught his breath, the assailant looked up with a strange smile.

—"You don't know what's coming."

Before Ekko could react, the man reached for a belt hidden under his jacket.

—"No!" Ekko shouted, stepping in front of Mel.

A loud bang rang out, followed by a shockwave that swept around them. The man had blown himself up.

The intense heat, the blast, everything mixed together in an instant. Ekko was thrown against a wall,

his vision filling with dust and flickering light. He struggled to his feet, the taste of blood in his mouth. A brief golden light dissipated in front of him, uncomprehending.

—"Mel!" he called, desperately trying to spot her in the chaos.

The building shook violently, chunks of the ceiling collapsing around him. He found Mel on her knees, shaken but unharmed, her gaze searching his.

"I'm fine," she said, though her voice trembled slightly.

Ekko nodded, but he knew their situation was far from under control. Shouts rang out in the distance, and guards rushed in all directions to evacuate the guests.

"We need to get out of here," he said, helping her up.

But as they headed toward an exit, Ekko noticed several men in dark armor enter the room. They had the same raven tattoos. Swain's agents.

He instinctively stepped in front of Mel, ready to fight despite his frantic heartbeat.

A gunshot tore through the din, followed by the thud of an agent collapsing. Ekko froze, his senses on alert. The dust from the explosion reduced visibility to almost nothing, but he could make out a slim, lithe figure on an upper balcony.

Bang.

A second, precise shot. Another man fell.

The chaos around him seemed to fade for Ekko, his attention entirely absorbed by this figure through the smoke and debris. She moved with almost supernatural precision, taking down the agents one by one. Every movement, every gesture...