The days passed in a blur for Kaelen. Marek's offer gnawed at her mind, but every time she thought of taking the deal, she pushed it aside. Trusting him felt like a trap. The Vanguard was already closing in on her, and she knew that working with Marek would only tie her closer to a web of lies and deceit. But escape—real escape—was beginning to feel like an illusion.
She couldn't run forever.
Her instincts had always guided her, had always told her when to fight, when to flee, and when to wait. And right now, they were screaming at her to wait.
To bide her time.
It was a rainy evening when the silence of her apartment was broken once again. A soft knock at the door—too soft, too careful. It wasn't Marek. The knock didn't carry the same sense of urgency or expectation.
Kaelen rose from the chair she'd been sitting in, moving with the grace of someone who had lived through countless encounters, someone whose every step was calculated.
She opened the door.
Standing before her was a man, tall and lean with a cloak that hung loosely over his broad shoulders. His features were sharp, angular, like a wolf watching its prey. But there was something else in his gaze—a calm intensity that made Kaelen instinctively reach for the dagger at her waist.
"I'm not here to fight, Drayce," the man said, his voice low and steady. "I'm here to talk."
Kaelen's eyes narrowed, but she didn't make any sudden movements. "And who exactly are you?"
"My name is Dorian," he replied simply. "I'm here because we've been watching you. The Vanguard doesn't know everything about you, but I do."
Kaelen's heart skipped a beat, though she didn't show it.
'We'
That wasn't just a casual choice of words. She had heard whispers of a shadowy presence that moved beneath the surface of Grimholt's politics—a presence that no one could quite pinpoint.
Could Dorian be part of it?
"I don't need your help," Kaelen said, her tone clipped.
Dorian's lips quirked into a faint smile. "You'll change your mind, sooner or later. We all do, in the end."
"Who's 'we'?" Kaelen asked, stepping closer, her eyes never leaving his.
Dorian's expression flickered with something unreadable, something guarded. "You'll meet them soon enough. They've been watching you for some time." He paused, studying her for a moment before continuing. "The Vanguard is more than just an organization. They've been looking for someone like you for years, someone with your skills."
"I'm not interested in joining any group," Kaelen replied, her voice cold as ice. "So if that's all you want, you can leave now."
Dorian didn't move. "You don't have to join. But if you don't make a move soon, they'll come for you. And when they do, there won't be a way out."
Kaelen felt the weight of his words sink deep into her bones. The Vanguard wasn't just some rogue group.
They had power—power that stretched beyond what she could even fathom.
And
Dorian knew something about them that she didn't.
"What do you want from me?" she asked, the wariness creeping back into her voice.
"I don't want anything," Dorian said, his voice calm, almost reassuring. "But there are those among us who have different plans. They're not the Vanguard. They're…" He hesitated, his gaze flickering toward the shadows outside her door. "They're the ones who will save you, if you'll let them."
Kaelen didn't reply. She had no need to ask who "they" were.
She already knew.
Dorian was part of a faction, a movement she had heard rumors about in whispers—dark figures who operated in the shadows, unknown and dangerous. If the Vanguard was a beast, these people were the hunters who stalked it.
There was one thing that stuck out, however. Dorian's words had felt like a warning, but they hadn't come across as a threat. There was something far more unsettling about his presence. Something that spoke of control, of power over the forces that even the Vanguard feared.
"You're offering me a choice," Kaelen said slowly. "But you're not the one who holds the cards, are you?"
Dorian didn't answer right away. Instead, he looked at her as if weighing the truth in her words. Finally, he nodded. "No. But there are others who do."
As if summoned by his words, the atmosphere in the room shifted. The air grew thicker, heavier, and Kaelen's instincts screamed at her—there was more to this than he was letting on.
"I don't need you to save me," Kaelen said, her voice unwavering. "I'm done with people trying to save me."
Dorian studied her for a moment longer, his expression unreadable. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me. The offer will always stand."
He turned to leave, but before he did, his gaze lingered on the shadows behind her. For the briefest of moments, Kaelen caught a flash of something—something that sent a cold shiver down her spine. She couldn't explain it, but the presence was undeniable.
"Be careful, Kaelen," Dorian said softly, just before stepping into the shadows and disappearing into the night.
Kaelen stood in the doorway, her fingers still resting on the edge of the frame. She didn't move for a long time. Her mind raced with everything Dorian had said, with everything he had implied. There was a dangerous game unfolding around her, and she wasn't sure if she was prepared for it.
But one thing was clear. The Vanguard wasn't the only threat. There were other players on the board. Powerful, dangerous, and far more elusive.
Somewhere in the depths of the city, beyond the veil of shadows, two figures watched her, waiting for the right moment to make their move. She didn't know their names, but she could feel their presence, as if they had always been there, hidden in the silence. The silent watchers.