Tides of Zaun

XV

The darkness enveloped her like a shroud, and in its depths, Jinx found herself adrift in memories. She was no longer in the chaos of her last moments; instead, a warm, golden light surrounded her, and the comforting scent of lavender and smoke wafted through the air.

In the midst of this comforting glow, Silco was there, sitting cross-legged on the floor, a gentle smile on his lips as he carefully braided her hair. "Why do you like to do my hair?" the younger Jinx asked, giggling as she squirmed under his touch.

He looked down at her, eyes glimmering with affection. "Well, our business is quite violent, and I'd like to have moments like these with my daughter. It's times like these when I can be a father to you." His fingers worked deftly, weaving strands together with care.

Younger Jinx laughed, a sound bright and free, filled with joy. In that moment, the world outside faded away, and all that mattered was this connection, this fleeting peace that wrapped around them. The smell of smoke and the warmth of his presence filled her with a sense of safety, a memory that would forever linger in her heart.

But as the warmth faded, the bright memory was replaced by the harsh chill of reality.

Jinx stirred awake, turning onto her side as the darkness of the memory dissolved into the cold, grey confines of her cell. She blinked against the dim light, disoriented, her heart heavy with the weight of what had been lost. The world she had known was gone, replaced by these four walls that felt like a prison—confining, suffocating.

Pushing herself up, she shuffled to the small sink in the corner of her cell. As she washed her face, the reflection that greeted her in the cracked mirror was foreign. The girl staring back at her was gaunt, shadows beneath her eyes deepening, a reminder of the last three months spent locked away from the world.

Each brush of her fingers against her skin was a jarring reminder of her isolation. The four walls around her were a dull, oppressive grey, a color that seemed to seep into her very soul. The steel door loomed ominously, a barrier that separated her from everything she once knew.

This is my life now, she thought, a wave of desolation crashing over her. Just these four walls and this steel door locking me away from the outside world.

As she spat into the sink, her gaze remained fixed on her reflection, the girl she once was now a mere shadow of herself. The weight of her choices hung heavy in the air, suffocating in its intensity.

"I wonder if anybody knows where I am," she said aloud, her voice barely a whisper in the silence of her prison. The emptiness of the cell swallowed her words, leaving behind only the haunting question that lingered in her mind.

Meanwhile, across town, Vi paced anxiously in a small, dimly lit room, the weight of the past few months heavy on her shoulders. Caitlyn leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her expression tight with concern.

"Have you heard anything about Sevika?" Vi asked, breaking the tense silence. "I can't shake the feeling that she's still looking for Jinx."

Caitlyn sighed, frustration bubbling beneath her composed surface. "You keep saying that, but maybe Sevika stopped looking because she found her," she replied, her tone sharper than intended.

Vi's brow furrowed. "That's just a theory! We can't ignore the possibility—"

"Vi, it's been months," Caitlyn interjected, her voice rising. "Every time you bring it up, it feels like you're clutching at straws. Jinx is gone; she's not coming back."

"Gone? Or locked away?" Vi shot back, determination flashing in her eyes. "We don't know what's happened to her. Silco's death sent shockwaves through Zaun. The enforcers are relentless, and Jinx... she's a target."