Sleep refused to visit tonight. Every ti I closed my eyes, I saw Isabelle—her face pale and frightened, locked away in so Guild dungeon. It had been three days since my confrontation with Elder Lin, and I was no closer to finding Isabelle.
I sat up in bed, my head throbbing with exhaustion. The digital clock on my nightstand showed 1:37 AM. Fantastic. Another sleepless night.
Vernon and Simon were both in recovery. The Heaven Swallowing Python had done serious damage to Vernon's physical form, while Simon was still healing from our last mission. Without them, I felt exposed, vulnerable.
I threw on so clothes and left my room, careful not to wake anyone. The halls of Jade Moon Villa were silent at this hour—a stark contrast to the chaotic thoughts swirling in my head.
Darian Bancroft remained imprisoned in our underground chamber. I'd visited him earlier today, hoping to extract information about Isabelle's whereabouts, but he'd proven stubbornly resistant.
"They'll co for ," he'd sneered through swollen lips. "The Guild would never abandon one of their own."
His unwavering faith in the Guild's loyalty was almost admirable. Also completely misplaced. I'd seen how the Guild operated—people were assets to be used and discarded when no longer useful.
I slipped out of the villa and into the night. The cool air helped clear my head, but did nothing to ease the knot of tension in my chest. I needed a drink.
Downtown Havenwood was mostly deserted at this hour. I found a bar still open—The Crimson Lantern, a dimly-lit establishnt that catered to insomniacs and those with secrets to keep.
I ordered whiskey, neat, and took it to a corner table. The liquor burned pleasantly going down, a montary distraction from my problems.
"Drinking alone is a sign of either great sorrow or great guilt," ca a sultry voice from behind . "Which is it for you?"
I turned to see a woman sliding into the chair across from . Her dark hair fell in waves around a face that was striking rather than traditionally beautiful—high cheekbones, full lips, and eyes that seed to see right through .
It took a mont to recognize her.
"Clarissa Johnson," I said flatly. "What a coincidence."
"Is it?" She smiled, signaling the bartender for a drink of her own. "I've found that coincidences rarely exist in our world, Mr. Knight."
The last ti I'd seen Clarissa had been at a business function months ago. She'd introduced herself as a representative of a trading company, but I'd sensed there was more to her than she let on.
"What do you want?" I asked, too tired for gas.
"Direct. I like that." Her drink arrived—so amber liquor with a slice of citrus. "I'm here to offer you help."
I scoffed. "With what?"
"Finding Isabelle Ashworth."
My hand froze halfway to my glass. "What did you say?"
"You heard ." Her eyes never left mine. "The Veridia City Martial Guild has her. You want her back. I can help."
I carefully set my glass down, studying her face for any sign of deception. "How do you know about that?"
"I know many things, Liam." She took a sip of her drink. "Including the fact that you're running out of options."
She wasn't wrong. Every lead had turned cold. Every attempt to locate Isabelle had failed. The Guild had hidden her too well.
"What's your angle?" I asked. "What do you get out of helping ?"
"Smart question." She leaned forward. "I represent an organization called the Umbral Covenant. We've been watching you for so ti now."
"Never heard of it."
"That's by design. We operate in the shadows, away from the spotlight that organizations like the Martial Guild crave."
"So kind of secret society?" I couldn't keep the skepticism from my voice.
"If you like." She shrugged. "What matters is that we share a common enemy. The Martial Guild has grown too powerful, too arrogant. They believe themselves untouchable."
"And what—you want to touch them?"
"We want to remind them of their mortality." Her smile turned predatory. "Just as you do."
I took another sip of my whiskey, buying ti to think. Could I trust her? Absolutely not. Did I have any better options right now? Also no.
"Let's say I believe you," I said carefully. "How would your... Covenant help find Isabelle?"
"We have eyes and ears in places even the Guild considers secure. We know things they think are buried forever."
"That's awfully vague."
"Necessarily so." Clarissa traced the rim of her glass with one manicured finger. "But as a show of good faith, I can tell you this: Isabelle isn't in Veridia City proper."
My pulse quickened. "Where is she?"
"The Guild maintains a research facility in the Ashen Mountains, three hundred miles north of the city. It's where they conduct their more... sensitive experints."
The way she said "sensitive" sent a chill down my spine. What were they doing to Isabelle?
"How do I know you're not feeding false information?" I demanded.
"You don't." She shrugged. "But what other leads do you have?"
None. And she knew it.
"What does the Umbral Covenant want from in return?" I asked.
"An alliance," she said simply. "Your strength combined with our resources and intelligence."
"To what end?"
"To strike a blow against the Guild that they won't soon forget." Her eyes glead with sothing that looked disturbingly like excitent. "We've been waiting for soone like you, Liam—soone with both the power and the motivation to take action."
I studied her carefully. There was sothing off about all this. Organizations didn't just appear out of nowhere offering help without wanting sothing significant in return.
"And if I refuse?"
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"Then you continue your futile search alone," she replied, her tone matter-of-fact. "And Isabelle remains in their hands for who knows how long."
The implication hung heavy in the air between us. Every day Isabelle remained captive was another day she might be suffering.
"What exactly would this alliance entail?" I asked.
"Information sharing, to start. Tactical coordination when necessary. And eventually, joint operations against Guild interests."
"You're talking about war."
"They've already declared war on you by taking the woman you love," she countered. "We're simply offering to help you fight back effectively."
She wasn't wrong. The Guild had crossed a line by taking Isabelle. There was no peaceful resolution possible anymore.
"I need ti to think," I said.
"Of course." She slid a small black card across the table. "When you're ready to talk further, just hold this and speak my na."
I picked up the card. It appeared to be ordinary black plastic, but I could sense a faint energy signature embedded within.
"A communication talisman," I observed. "Expensive."
"The Covenant doesn't lack for resources." She finished her drink and stood. "Just so you know, Liam, this offer won't remain open indefinitely. The Guild is growing stronger by the day, especially with whatever they're doing with Isabelle's bloodline."
That caught my attention. "What do you know about her bloodline?"
"Only that it's unique—unprecedented, even. The Guild believes it holds the key to sothing they've been seeking for centuries."
"Which is?"
"That," she said with a enigmatic smile, "is sothing we can discuss once you've decided to join us."
Frustration bubbled up inside . More gas, more half-truths.
"I don't trust you," I said bluntly.
"I'd be concerned if you did." She laughed lightly. "Trust is earned, not given freely. Let us earn yours."
"Fine," I said, slipping the card into my pocket. "I'll consider your offer."
"Don't take too long. For Isabelle's sake."
The ntion of Isabelle's na in her mouth sparked anger in . "Don't pretend you care about her welfare. Whatever your agenda is, it's not about helping Isabelle."
"You're right," she admitted without hesitation. "The Covenant has its own objectives. But right now, those objectives align perfectly with yours—getting Isabelle away from the Guild."
She turned to leave, then paused. "One more thing, Liam. The Guild knows you have Darian Bancroft. They're planning sothing in response. I'd strengthen your defenses if I were you."
With that, she walked away, leaving alone with my whiskey and even more questions than before.
I downed the rest of my drink in one gulp. The Ashen Mountains. A secret research facility. It was more information than I'd managed to gather in days of desperate searching. But could I trust it?
The black card felt heavy in my pocket. An alliance with a shadowy organization I knew nothing about seed like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. But what choice did I have?
Isabelle needed . And I was running out of options.
I threw so money on the table and left the bar. The night air had grown colder, or perhaps it was just the chill of doubt settling into my bones.
"Fine," I called out, sensing Clarissa hadn't gone far. "If you can find where Isabelle Ashworth is, then I'll believe in you. How about that?"
She stepped out from the shadows of a nearby alley, a smile playing on her lips.
"Challenge accepted, Mr. Knight. I'll be in touch soon with proof."
As she disappeared into the darkness, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd just made a deal with the devil—a deal I might co to regret.
But for Isabelle, I'd make deals with all the devils in hell if I had to.
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