The Silver District was exactly what its name suggested—gleaming towers of white marble and silver filigree, streets paved with clean stone, guards in polished armor standing at every corner. Money and power radiated from every building, every perfectly manicured garden, every well-dressed noble who walked past without making eye contact with anyone beneath their station.
It was Julian's kingdom, the heart of his legitimate business empire, and walking into it felt like stepping into the mouth of a predator.
"We look like beggars here," Lyra muttered, pulling her cloak tighter. Their leather and weapons marked them as outsiders, people who didn't belong in this world of silk and silver.
"We need to blend in," Kael agreed, scanning the street. "There."
He pointed to a clothier's shop, expensive by the look of it, catering to the wealthy merchants and minor nobles who populated this district.
"We can't afford that," Lyra said.
Kael patted the coin purse at his belt, heavy with silver taken from Julian's dead operatives. "We can now."
An hour later, they emerged transformed. Kael wore a well-cut coat of dark blue wool, tailored trousers, and polished boots. He looked like a young merchant or a noble's son, respectable and forgettable. Soulrender was wrapped in cloth and slung across his back, disguised as a simple travel pack.
Lyra had traded her leathers for a dress of deep green that hugged her figure in ways that made Kael's mouth go dry. Her hair was pinned up, revealing the elegant line of her neck, and her knives were hidden in cleverly concealed pockets.
"Stop staring," she said, but she looked pleased.
"You look different," Kael managed.
"I look like I belong here," Lyra corrected. "That's the point." She smoothed the dress, looking uncomfortable. "I hate dresses. Can't move properly in them."
"You'll manage," Kael said, offering his arm. "Shall we, my lady?"
She rolled her eyes but took his arm, and they stepped back into the street looking like any other wealthy couple in the Silver District.
The difference was immediate. Guards who would have questioned them before now nodded respectfully as they passed. Merchants smiled and beckoned them into their shops. In this world, appearance was everything, and wealth bought invisibility as surely as darkness did.
"Where are we going?" Lyra asked quietly as they walked.
"The Golden Griffin Inn," Kael replied. "It's expensive enough that Julian's street thugs won't think to search there. And it's close to Senator Harrow's residence."
"You're going after Harrow first?"
"Information first, then leverage. Harrow's bought secrets from Julian. We need to know what secrets and why."
They secured a room at the Golden Griffin, a spacious suite with actual furniture that wasn't broken and sheets that were clean. The innkeeper didn't even blink at the price, just took Kael's silver with a practiced smile.
"You're getting disturbingly good at pretending to be wealthy," Lyra said once they were alone.
"I was wealthy once," Kael replied, the memory surfacing unexpectedly. "Before Julian destroyed it all. My father was a successful merchant. We had a house in this district, servants, everything."
"I didn't know that," Lyra said softly.
"Neither did I, until just now." Kael touched his temple, feeling the frustration of his fragmented memories. "The sword took so much. Sometimes pieces come back, but I never know what's real and what's the sword twisting things."
"Tell me what you remember," Lyra said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "About before."
Kael was quiet for a moment, reaching into the fog of his past. "My father... Aldric Voss. He dealt in rare goods, exotic items from across the seas. He was honest, which made him unusual in the Merchants' Guild. He refused to work with Julian's smuggling operations."
"That's why Julian killed him," Lyra said, understanding dawning. "He was competition and he couldn't be bought."
"My whole family," Kael continued, the memories sharper now, cutting like knives. "My mother, Elena. My younger sister, Iris. She was only twelve." His hands clenched. "Julian killed them all and made it look like a robbery gone wrong. The city guard never investigated too deeply. Probably because Julian had already bought them off."
"Kael—"
"I survived because I wasn't home that night," Kael said, his voice flat. "I was with Ethan, drunk at a tavern, celebrating some stupid thing I can't even remember now. Came home to find them all dead. My father's throat cut, my mother..." He stopped, unable to continue.
Lyra moved to him, taking his hands in hers. "I'm sorry."
"Julian took everything," Kael said. "My family, my memories, my life. Even my death wasn't enough for him. He made sure I came back as this—" He gestured at himself, at Soulrender. "A monster he could control."
"You're not a monster," Lyra said firmly. "You're someone who had everything stolen from him and is fighting to get justice. That's not monstrous."
"The sword thinks I am. It wants me to embrace the darkness, to kill without mercy, to feed it souls until I become something... else."
"Then don't," Lyra said simply. "Choose to be better. Every day, every kill, make the choice to stay human."
"What if I can't? What if one day I wake up and realize the sword has won, that I've become exactly what Julian wanted me to be?"
Lyra leaned forward, her forehead touching his. "Then I'll be there to remind you who you really are. That's what I'm here for."
The moment stretched between them, heavy with meaning. Then Lyra kissed him, soft and gentle, a promise rather than passion.
When she pulled back, her eyes were bright with unshed tears. "We're going to make him pay, Kael. For your family, for Ethan, for everyone he's hurt. I promise you that."
"Together," Kael said.
"Together," she agreed.
A knock at the door broke the moment. They both tensed, hands moving to weapons, but the voice that called through was the innkeeper's.
"Begging your pardon, sir, but there's a gentleman downstairs asking after new arrivals. City guard, sir, doing rounds. Shall I send him away?"
Kael and Lyra exchanged glances. Not Julian's thugs, but possibly just as dangerous.
"No," Kael called back. "We'll come down. Just a moment."
They quickly adjusted their clothes, making sure weapons were fully concealed. Then, with the leather case hidden under the floorboards, they descended to meet whoever was looking for them.
The man waiting in the common room was indeed city guard, but the expensive cut of his uniform and the silver pins on his collar marked him as an officer, someone with rank and authority. He was middle-aged, graying at the temples, with shrewd eyes that missed nothing.
"Captain Warren," he introduced himself with a slight bow. "I'm conducting routine inquiries about recent arrivals in the district. Might I have your names?"
"Marcus Thorne," Kael said smoothly, using a false name without hesitation. "And this is my wife, Lyanna. We're here from the coastal provinces on business."
"What sort of business?"
"Textiles," Lyra said before Kael could answer. "My family deals in fine silks and dyes. We're hoping to establish connections with merchants here in the capital."
Captain Warren studied them both, his expression unreadable. "I see. And which inn are you staying at?"
"This one, the Golden Griffin," Kael replied. "Is there a problem, Captain?"
"That depends. You see, there's been some... trouble recently. Criminals operating in areas they shouldn't be. We're keeping an eye on new faces, making sure everyone's who they claim to be." His eyes hardened. "The Merchants' Guild has been particularly concerned. Julian Voss himself has requested increased patrols."
The name hung in the air like a curse.
"Julian Voss," Kael said, keeping his voice neutral. "I've heard the name. Powerful man, I understand."
"Very powerful," Warren agreed. "And very concerned about security. So if you see or hear anything suspicious, I trust you'll report it to the guard immediately."
"Of course, Captain," Lyra said with a sweet smile. "We're law-abiding citizens. We want nothing to do with criminals."
Warren looked like he didn't quite believe them, but he had no proof, no reason to press further. "Enjoy your stay in the Silver District," he said finally. "And remember—Julian Voss has eyes everywhere. It's best not to forget that."
He left with another slight bow, his boots clicking on the polished floor.
Kael and Lyra waited until he was gone before returning to their room.
"Well," Lyra said, closing the door behind them. "That was subtle. Julian's using the city guard to search for us."
"Which means we need to move faster," Kael replied, retrieving the leather case from its hiding spot. "Tonight, we visit Senator Harrow. Find out exactly what he's been buying from Julian and use it against them both."
"Breaking into a Senator's house," Lyra said. "That's treason if we're caught."
"Then we won't get caught," Kael said with a grim smile.
"You make it sound so simple," Lyra sighed, but she was already checking her hidden knives, preparing for the night's work.
Outside, the sun was setting over the Silver District, painting the marble towers in shades of gold and crimson.
Beautiful, Kael thought. Like blood on snow.
Tonight, they'd strike at the heart of Julian's political protection. Tomorrow, they'd see how his empire handled having one of its pillars cut away.
Piece by piece, ally by ally, Julian's power would crumble.
And when there was nothing left, when he was alone and defenseless...
Then Kael would finally have his revenge.
Soulrender hummed in agreement, eager for the blood to come.
* * *
END OF CHAPTER 23