d, there was a deal. And b

e For

place of torture for Kane-it h

. Every bone ached, but it wasn't the pain that consum

as righteous. God-fearin

s eyes... it wasn't just

waves, Kane dreamt of the night his parents

t a table with men in cloaks, symbols carved into the wood. One o

...

t. Sweat soaked his s

only a name whispered i

zar

t it meant. But he

da's

he earth's bones. The tunnels beneath the land were

"That door hasn't been o

d as they grazed the surface-cold stone

ected," Am

whispered.

d to her. "W

d back, sol

rom her belt and sliced her palm. Blood

r creak

d with old manuscripts, relics, bones-and at

approac

ly lifte

idian mirror with a swirling center. As Amanda looked in

s of t

same land-but gen

ire. Her father-young and fierce-stood bes

's f

da g

s made-between the families of Kane and Amanda. A blood pact. To pro

ane's father had said. *"Our ch

thing we

made in desperation. One family bro

ision

mber, Amanda fe

urs alone. It is older than you. And it will not end until both

i's Be

hi stood at the

e rags of the streets. He was cloak

d him. "Counci

room where the eld

Amanda has gone to the tunnel

ders n

" the High Elder s

lied. "He will not

es flickered wit

il

he council-was a journal. Kane's father's journal. And inside

e had tried to protect both families. T

hin the

lachi h

age in

n, a guard rushed

our f

viewing chamber. A flick

, smeared with mud and

our father... my father... they made a pact. We were supposed to protect i

heart p

do-we finish what they started.

een wen

or the first

She knows. An

inue

eath the Soi

lent W

nder a crumbling shrine hidden by wild vi

ember of the council-now exiled, forgotten,

had kept

er-Obinna-and Amanda's father-Okafor-joined hands and vowed before

r in the dark to men who promi

still burning. He reached for an iron box buried beneath a loose

iginal

athered satchel. "They must know the truth,"

ood Sc

d the mirror, Nneka led her into a side chamber lit only by

scripture," Nneka said. "

ions of warriors, protectors, and betrayal. At the center of it all stoo

nda a crimson bo

pture. It only reveals itself to

their own, stopping at a faded passa

There is darkness in our family-choices made under fear. But if you find him-find

her had known. Had warned her. And p

aughter of war. You are the flame that can

"Then I choose fire... b

reat

ard it-a crack in the wall, f

d st

figure emerged-thin, qui

ut the figure pressed

me. You're n

itated.

r cloak-a crest Kane recognized from his fat

nt hands, she unloc

," she said. "We

h the prison. Kane's limbs protested ever

Amanda?" Kan

. But there's more-there's someo

hi

o meet her at the o

nded. "Then we m

Cros

at the edge of the forest, its carved face worn by wind and bloo

ehind her. "You have

lade raised

ows, his cane tapping the stone pat

d, handing her the scroll. "Your father was not t

were clear. A pact sealed by blood a

this," Amanda said, emot

Malachi and the coun

ce rang out. "Then we

reathless. He was there.

o weapons forged by p

wly. "They broke us. But

intly. "Now we

inue

e between them filled with years of silence, loss, an

is bruised face gently. Her t

you," she

ooked smile. "You shou

d Kane saw something behind them that wasn

I saw the prison, the chains... I thought

aid. "Just like you

e trembling, "but then I found something

tween them shimmered with unspo

ame," he said softly. "A girl with fire in her veins an

rted slight

ha

it, K

and trembling, and leaned closer. "You'r

break, before the shadow

. Fierce. The kind of kiss born from years of rage a

ted her forehead against his. "If

"But not befo

backs

ng forest stirred around them, but for a moment, it was just the

ngers across Kane's jaw. Her voice was a whis

intly. "How co

hbac

in th

Emeka. Kane had just joined the Brotherhood-a gang of merce

ng. Cold.

danger wrapped in elegance, with eyes

once worked with the council-now turned rogue. Kane d

courthouse, Kane sat alone by the fire, sharpen

lk about it

ut w

eel nothing when your hand

e f

shoulders brushing. "I see

e stre

uld make it better,"

spered. "But... you lear

w she sat beside him, their backs against the stone wall, her warm

n, she was

... wa

o Pres

ly, her fingers still resting against his ch

weren't exactly e

shifted. "And y

reheads touching ag

, casting golden lig

is voice soon cut through the silence. "The lan

ook Kane

e it both,

hrine-toward truth, toward blood, and