Chapter 4

  The very small glow of enchanted lanterns barely lit the underground tunnel, the air was cold, and the faint echoes of distant dripping water filled the silence. Selene walked through the passage with slow steps. Her emerald eyes scanned the corridor ahead, her long black cloak swaying behind her with each movement. Her dark auburn hair was tied back into a practical braid, and her face had the calm and unyielding expression of someone used to control.

  Her eyes narrowed as she spotted a figure ahead. A man leaned casually against the wall at the entrance of a passageway, arms crossed, his face half-hidden in his hood. His name was Orin, the man responsible for the organization’s enforcers: their soldiers and spies. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a face marred by a scar running from his brow to his jawline. His eyes moved to Selene as she approached.

  "Any news on the girl?" Selene asked, her voice with a mild hint of annoyance. She stopped a few feet away, eyes locked on his.

  Orin’s gaze didn’t move. "We’re on it. The men are searching the city. She’s just a rat with nowhere to run. Won’t be long now." His voice was rough, but his tone was certain.

  Selene’s eyes remained on him, searching for any sign of doubt. "She’s a liability," she said coldly. "If she’s found and she talks, it’ll be a mess to clean up. We’d have to bribe half the guard, and even then, word might still spread."

  Orin snorted, pushing off the wall. "The noble who commands the city guard’s already in our pocket. He’ll turn a blind eye like he always does. But yeah, better to be safe. We will find her."

  Selene’s eyes lingered on him for a moment before she nodded. "Good. Let’s move. The meeting’s about to start."

  The two of them walked together down the tunnel, their footsteps soft but still making sounds on the stone floor. They approached a large, iron-bound door. Selene reached for the handle, and with a heavy creak, she pushed it open. Inside, the air was heavier, filled with the scent of old stone and faint traces of incense. The room beyond was circular, with walls lined with carved reliefs of strange symbols and scenes depicting figures in shadowy rituals.

  At the center of the room sat a large, round stone table. It was polished and dark, with six stone chairs equally spaced around it. Selene and Orin took their seats. Selene’s eyes flickered to the chair next to hers, her fingers tapping the armrest. She’d been hoping to sit somewhere else, but fate had placed her beside him.

  Moments later, the others began to arrive. One by one, they stepped in, each figure distinct but sharing the same air of menace and authority. Two women and four men in total. Among them, Selene’s eyes immediately caught sight of him.

  He was utterly silent as he moved to the seat beside her. His body was devoid of flesh. His skull had cracks and carvings of arcane runes, and his empty eye sockets glowed faintly with a small blue light. His name was Maldrath, and he was an undead, a lich, to be precise. Selene’s heart tensed for just a moment. She’d never been comfortable sitting near him. His presence smelled like that of death and ancient.

  Across from her sat Valyria, the other woman of the group. Unlike Selene, Valyria’s skin was porcelain pale, her eyes a shade of blue that faintly glowed crimson in the dark room. Her long white hair framed her predatory face. She was a vampire—ageless, beautiful, and undeniably dangerous. Her gaze met Selene’s for a moment, lips curling into a small smile. Selene’s eyes flicked away, focusing on the table.

  The remaining seats filled quickly. There was Kallen, a thin man with a perpetual smirk; Dregan, a broad-shouldered brute who spoke as much with his fists as his words; and finally, Elias, an older man with calculating eyes and a soft voice.

  With everyone seated, the meeting began.

  Elias, who often assumed the role of speaker, leaned forward. His hands were crossed as he surveyed the group. "First, our operations at the docks of the northern city are progressing as expected. Profits are up, and no significant interference has been reported from the city guard. Our investments are yielding returns."

  There were nods around the table.

  "Next, we’ve expanded our influence in the merchant’s guild," Elias continued. "Our ‘consultants’ have made it clear to the guild master that it’s in his best interest to keep our arrangements intact."

  Another round of approving nods.

  Selene’s eyes darted briefly to Maldrath. He sat perfectly still, unnervingly so. His bony fingers tapped once on the stone table but otherwise remained lifeless.

  Then the mood shifted as Elias’ eyes narrowed. "Now to the pressing matter. The girl."

  The shift in the mood was perceptible. All eyes turned to Orin.

  "She’s being hunted," Orin said gruffly. "Our men are on it. We’re sweeping the alleys and checking every hideout she could’ve run to. She’s a street rat, not smart, not fast. It’s only a matter of time."

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  Valyria’s crimson eyes sharpened, and her smile vanished. "She’s a street rat, but she’s also a witness. You’re underestimating her. Witnesses talk, Orin. They’re pests, and pests have a way of surviving unless properly dealt with. I’d suggest you quicken your search."

  Orin’s jaw tightened, but he gave a curt nod. "I’m aware. We’re not sitting on our hands, Valyria. She’ll be found."

  Selene’s eyes flicked between them. "If she’s not found soon, she’ll talk and try to find some generous noble to protect her. Desperation breeds boldness. We’ve seen it before."

  Elias raised a hand, commanding silence. "Orin’s men will continue their search. No loose ends. No witnesses. We’ll deal with her, just as we’ve dealt with others before. If anyone has doubts, I suggest they keep them to themselves."

  A long pause followed as each member of the council exchanged glances. None spoke. They all understood that Elias wanted silence.

  “Meeting adjourned,” Elias declared.

  As they began to stand up, Selene cast a final glance at Maldrath. His hollow eyes met hers, his gaze was cold and seemed infinite. She stood quickly, her cloak swinging around her as she made for the door. As she left, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had looked at him longer than usual. ‘Maybe I’ll be cursed to death for that…’

  ***

  Selene opened the heavy wooden doors leading to her chambers and walked inside. The room was dimly lit by a few lanterns mounted on the stone walls and was very shadowy. The air smelled faintly of aged wood and stone. She moved with grace, composed, as she always was, her eyes half-lidded in quiet contemplation. The clash of her boots against the stone echoed faintly as she made her way to a large old chair near the center of the room.

  She sank into the chair with a sigh, leaning back as if the weight of her thoughts pressed down on her. Her eyes shifted toward the table in front of her, its surface full of scratches and stains of countless documents, plans, and maps that had been placed on it. Without hesitation, she reached for a small glass on the table and poured herself a little bit of amber liquor from a nearby bottle. The liquid swirled briefly before she lifted it to her lips, tasting it slowly.

  The warmth of the liquor spread through her chest, and she leaned further back in her chair, gazing up at the ceiling. Her mind turned to the recent events. The girl who had escaped... It was an inconvenience, no doubt. A liability left to roam free, and liabilities had a way of becoming dangers if left unchecked. Selene’s fingers tapped on the armrest of her chair. Security measures had tightened since the incident, and the enforcers had been instructed to remain vigilant. Still, she couldn't shake off the feeling of irritation. It wasn't like the girl was some clever mastermind or a particularly fast runner. She'd be caught sooner or later.

  But that wasn’t really the problem, was it? The real issue lay in who was responsible. Valyria. Selene’s lips pressed into a thin line at the thought of her. Valyria had been assigned to oversee the girl's "processing", but of course, Valyria’s idea of responsibility was as loose as a piece of cloth still being sewn. The woman’s power was undeniable, too undeniable, in fact. Even if someone were to argue she’d failed, nobody in the organization would dare challenge her. Selene knew better than to push that particular boundary. Valyria’s strength kept her untouchable, and in this world, power was the ultimate arbiter of justice.

  Selene’s gaze flickered to the bottle of liquor, debating whether to pour herself another glass. She ultimately decided against it, pushing herself up from the chair. Her long coat swayed behind her as she walked toward the door. The air in her chambers felt heavier than it should have, and she had no interest in staying in it any longer. There were things to be done.

  The labyrinthine halls of the underground hideout were badly illuminated. Of course, that wasn’t a problem for someone who could see in the dark, like a vampire, for example, but for her, it was kinda hard to see. The only illumination came from torches and lanterns placed along the walls, their light barely enough to illuminate the darkness. Selene’s steps echoed as she walked, her eyes fixed ahead. She’d long since memorized every twist and turn of these passages. Each hallway, each junction, each doorway, all committed to memory. She’d spent too many years in this place to be disoriented now.

  As she reached the upper levels, she climbed a short level of stone stairs, and the air grew slightly warmer. As she stepped onto the above ground, a figure approached her from the far end of the hallway. It was one of the enforcers, his eyes sharp and his breathing slightly hurried. His movements were quick but controlled, a sign that he’d been searching for her.

  “Selene,” he called out, his voice firm but respectful. “We’ve found her.”

  Selene’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Where?” she asked, her tone even but full of curiosity.

  “In the city,” the enforcer said, coming to a stop a few paces away from her. “She’s in a fancy hotel. She’s not alone, though. She’s with two other women.”

  “Two other women? Interesting. What’s the story there?”

  “No idea,” the enforcer replied, shaking his head. “Could be those ‘generous nobles’ types looking to play hero. We’ve seen it before. Strays always seem to attract attention from those kinds of people. Naive fools.” He scoffed. “They’ll probably regret it.”

  Selene’s eyes stayed on the enforcer for a moment, her mind racing. If the girl had truly found help from two nobles, that added complications. Nobles had wealth, influence, and occasionally even competence. It wasn’t unheard of for a noble, especially a foreign one who doesn’t know that they shouldn’t mess with us, to take in a "lost soul" out of some misguided sense of charity. But even if that’s all it was, it didn’t change her plans. The girl’s knowledge posed a threat, and threats needed to be handled.

  “Where’s Kallen?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

  “Waiting for you near the entrance of the hideout,” the enforcer replied. “He’s ready to move as soon as you give the word.”

  Selene’s eyes glinted with a cold sharpness. “Then we’re wasting time. Let’s go.”

  The enforcer nodded and turned around, leading her down another hallway. Her mind shifted back to the two "nobles" who had taken the girl in. If they were truly nobles, she’d have to be careful. Not because she feared them, Selene feared no one other than her own comrades, but because nobles had connections, and connections had consequences. Still, she doubted it would come to that. Nobles could be bribed, threatened, or "convinced" to forget things that weren’t worth the trouble of remembering.

  But if these "nobles" were something else... well, she’d deal with that as it came.

  Her lips formed a faint smile as she followed the enforcer. Yes, this was better than staying in her chambers. She’d see this through herself, and if those "nobles" got in her way, she’d gently ask Kallen to remind them why it’s unwise to stand between a predator and its prey.