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Chapter 20
The veiled moon bathed Calvenne in a pale light, casting the alleys into an in-between world.
The hurried footsteps of passersby echoed on the wet cobblestones, each fearing to linger outside too long. The city had become a minefield, where every glance could conceal a dagger.
Kael moved with measured steps, his illusion still intact, but his senses sharpened.
He knew bounty hunters had arrived.
And he knew Selene was slowly slipping into a shadow where he could no longer fully control her.
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A Fragile Pact
One evening, in a tavern at the city's edge, Kael met Selene.
She was already waiting, a cup in her hand, her eyes concealing a tension he knew too well.
> "Things are moving fast," she said softly.
"Exactly as I intended," Kael replied, sitting across from her.
But she didn't answer immediately. Her silence weighed like an invisible threat.
At last, she asked:
> "And if the city truly collapses, what will happen to the innocents? To those who asked for nothing?"
Kael stared at her for a long moment.
> "Innocents don't exist, Selene. Everyone takes part in the system that crushes them. Some close their eyes, some stay silent, others profit quietly. Their passivity condemns them."
A veil of sadness crossed her gaze, but she quickly looked away.
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The Grip of the Factions
The city teetered on the edge of explosion.
The Merchant Council fractured, each family preparing its own militia.
The City Guard multiplied arbitrary arrests, creating more fear than order.
The Shadow Brotherhoods launched bloody raids, proof that the balance was broken.
Kael observed these movements as one would study a chessboard.
Every piece advanced where he had pushed it… but some were beginning to slip from his control.
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The Rumor of the Price
It was in a tavern corner that he finally heard confirmation.
Two bounty hunters were talking, their deep voices cutting through the noise:
> "Did you see the notice? The bounty's doubled again."
"Yeah… with that, I could buy ten years of comfort in Valestera."
Kael remained in the shadows, a thin smile tugging at his lips.
An exorbitant bounty… a currency invented by those noble dogs to lure vultures.
Now he knew his survival depended on two things: keeping his illusion intact, and discovering who among those closest to him might be tempted by that reward.
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Cracks in Trust
Back at their refuge, Kael watched Selene as she packed her belongings.
Her movements were mechanical, but her eyes avoided his.
He stepped closer, laying a light hand on her shoulder.
> "You seem troubled."
She nearly flinched, then quickly replied:
> "It's nothing… just fatigue."
Kael smiled coldly.
He said nothing more, but inside, a chilling certainty anchored itself.
Selene was slipping from him.
And when she finally made her choice… he would have to be ready.
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The Premonition of Blood
That night, standing on the ramparts as he watched the faint lights of Calvenne, Kael whispered to himself:
> "The threads are taut. Soon, one of them will snap… and with it, the entire edifice."
His gaze drifted into the darkness.
He knew the true battle was no longer against the factions, nor even the city itself.
No… the danger was creeping closer, silent, hidden within his most intimate shadow.
And that shadow might well bear Selene's face.
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