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Thea didn't trust easily.
She'd learned that lesson young, when the trigger drug failed and left her with debt instead of power. When her parents sold everything and still came up short. When the world proved that "fair" was just a story people told to sleep at night.
She built her empire on information. On seeing everything, knowing everyone, being necessary. In a world of superhuman warriors, Thea was weak—and therefore invisible, and therefore powerful.
Then Kael Vane walked into her bar, bleeding from his nose, arguing with empty air, and asked for a job.
"You're [NULL]," she said, not impressed.
"You're Thea," he replied, equally unimpressed. "I need money. You need someone who can understand things. Let's trade."
"Understand things?"
He touched her table—cheap wood, scarred, stained—and his eyes went silver. "Oak, harvested Year 8, treated with synthetic sealant, structural integrity 73%, will collapse if someone heavy sits on the left corner."
Thea blinked. "Lucky guess."
"Your right boot is newer than your left. You favor that leg, probably an old injury. The charm on your necklace is a signal blocker—illegal tech, expensive. You're hiding from someone, or something, and you're doing it in plain sight because you're clever. "
Silence.
"Also," Kael added, "you're very pretty. I should have led with that. Sorry. Social skills are a work in progress."
Thea laughed, surprised. "You're either brilliant or insane."
"Both. The women in my life keep telling me."
"Women? Plural?"
"There's... a situation. A princess and a void. It's complicated."
Thea leaned back, studying him. He was lean, nervous, obviously powerful in ways she didn't understand. And he was alone, despite the "women." Alone and trying very hard to seem functional.
"Situation," she repeated. "Tell me."
So he did. The Understanding. The Glitches. Seraphine's training and Mira's rescue and the growing certainty that something was wrong with the world, something bigger than Classes and dungeons, something that needed to be comprehended before it could be fixed.
"And you want to save the world?" Thea asked when he finished.
"I want to understand it. Saving might be a side effect."
"Arrogant."
"Honest."
She considered. Her network had noticed the Glitches. Had noticed [NULL] classifications being quietly eliminated. Had noticed the Version Update approaching, and the panic in Guild leadership, and the whispers of change.
"Partners," she said finally. "Not employee. Not servant. You bring me understanding, I bring you information. Equal exchange."
"Equal," Kael agreed.
They shook on it. His hand was warm, calloused, alive.
"One more thing," Thea added. "Your 'situation.' The princess and the void."
"Yes?"
"They know about each other?"
"Yes."
"And they're both... interested?"
Kael turned red. "It's not— we're not— I don't know what you're implying—"
"I'm implying you're building a harem, error message." Thea smiled, sharp and amused. "And I'm implying I might want in. Not for romance—though you're cute when you stutter—for the story. Whatever you're becoming, it's going to change everything. I want a front-row seat."
"You're using me for entertainment?"
"I'm using you for potential. " She stood, businesslike again. "Now get out. I have work, and you have training. Report back when you've done something interesting."
Kael left, confused, flustered, and slightly thrilled.
Thea watched him go, touching her hand where they'd shaken.
"Interesting," she murmured to herself.
Then she activated her network and started digging into everything: [NULL] classifications, Glitch origins, System architecture, and the boy who talked to himself.
She had a feeling the information would be valuable.
Or world-changing.
Or both.
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