The Capital's splendor was a lie that ended at sunset. As darkness fell, Reed pulled his hood lower, obscuring his face as he moved through streets that no longer pretended to defy gravity. Here, beneath the gleaming towers and floating gardens, the Undercity sprawled like a festering wound—reality laid bare.
"This is unwise," Shia murmured beside him, her hand never straying far from the curved blade at her hip. "The tournament begins at dawn. You should be resting, preparing."
"Knowledge is preparation," Reed replied, his voice barely audible above the cacophony of the Undercity. "And there are things I need to know that won't be found in the gilded halls above."
