A Name That Shouldn't Exist (3)

I poured myself a drink, the amber liquid settling into the crystal glass with a quiet slosh. The scent was sharp, laced with hints of oak and spice, a reminder of the luxuries I rarely allowed myself to indulge in. The first sip burned its way down my throat, but it did nothing to dull the cold weight pressing against my ribs.

I allowed myself to process what I had read.

If the name in that dossier was truly alive, then it meant one of two things. Either the Council had been deceived, or I had failed in a task I had never before questioned. And failure was not something I entertained lightly.

Deception from the Council was unlikely. They were too desperate to rein me in, too determined to keep me leashed. If this was meant to be a manipulation, they would have chosen a different card to play. Which left only the other possibility—one that I refused to acknowledge without proof.