Chapter 15: The Hunt for Mara

Chapter 15: The Hunt for Mara

Silvia's POV

The streets of Ashen Hold were eerily quiet at dawn. A thin mist clung to the cobblestones, curling around Silvia's boots as she and Dragon made their way toward the outskirts of the city. The tracker Valen had given them pulsed with a soft, rhythmic glow, leading them deeper into the winding backstreets and abandoned districts where few dared to tread.

"Remind me again why all the useful people hide in the worst parts of town?" Silvia muttered, eyes scanning the dark alleys around them.

Dragon smirked, his golden eyes gleaming in the dim light. "Because the worst parts of town are where the real power moves. And besides, we fit right in."

Silvia rolled her eyes but couldn't argue. After the chaos in Corvin's tavern and the revelations from Valen, she knew they were walking straight into another mess—one they couldn't afford to lose.

The tracker beeped faster as they approached a run-down building with shattered windows and a sagging roof. The sign above the door had long since faded, but remnants of painted letters suggested it had once been a warehouse.

"This is it," Dragon murmured, slipping a dagger from his belt. "Mara better be worth the trouble."

Silvia took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

Inside the Safehouse

The interior was dark, the air thick with dust and old wood. Shelves lined the walls, cluttered with rusted tools, scraps of paper, and forgotten supplies. A single lantern flickered at the far end of the room, casting long shadows.

Silvia took a cautious step forward, fire crackling softly at her fingertips. "Mara?"

Silence.

Then, a whisper of movement. Too fast.

Dragon cursed as a shadow lunged from above, knocking him to the ground. Silvia barely had time to turn before a blade pressed against her throat.

"Move, and you die," a voice hissed in her ear.

Silvia froze. The grip on her arm was strong, practiced. The woman behind her knew how to fight. But Silvia wasn't helpless.

Fire surged through her veins. She twisted her wrist, heat flaring against her attacker's blade. "Let. Go."

A sharp curse. The grip loosened just enough for Silvia to rip free, spinning to face her attacker—

A woman, cloaked in dark leathers, her short silver hair glinting in the dim light. Her stance was poised, ready for another strike. Mara.

"Well," Mara said, wiping soot from her blade. "You're not dead yet. That's a good start."

Silvia exhaled sharply. "We're not here to fight you."

Mara arched a brow. "Then why are you here?"

Dragon, dusting himself off, shot Mara a glare. "We need answers. And from what I hear, you're the one who has them."

Mara's lips curled into a smirk. "That depends. What exactly are you looking for?"

Silvia exchanged a glance with Dragon. "The truth."

Mara studied them for a long moment, then sighed. "Then you better come inside. We don't have much time."

Unraveling Secrets

The safehouse was more than just an abandoned warehouse. As Mara led them deeper inside, the remnants of an old network hub became visible—rusting computer terminals, stacks of documents covered in encrypted writing, and a large board covered in maps of various city-states, all linked together with red string.

Silvia scanned the board. "You've been tracking movements?"

Mara nodded. "For years. The factions within the city-states, the corporations, the underground syndicates. They all have their own agendas. But one thing ties them all together—control."

Dragon crossed his arms. "And where do we fit into this mess?"

Mara's eyes flicked to him. "You? You were never supposed to be involved, Bromson. But Silvia?" She pointed at Silvia, her gaze sharp. "You were marked from the start."

Silvia felt a chill. "Marked?"

Mara pulled a file from the desk and tossed it onto the table. "Your name is on every watchlist from here to the outer colonies. Someone doesn't just want you dead, they want you erased. Completely."

Silvia clenched her fists. "Why?"

Mara sighed. "Because you're a threat to their balance. You were supposed to be a casualty, a forgotten soldier in their war against the unknown."

Dragon's jaw tightened. "She's not just some casualty."

Mara smirked. "No. She's much more than that. And that's what scares them."

Silvia flipped through the file, her mind racing. She wasn't just another recruit thrown into the war against monsters. She was something else entirely.

And now, she needed to find out what.

The Next Move

Mara leaned against the desk. "I can help you, but it won't be easy. If you're serious about surviving this, you'll need to leave Ashen Hold. Now."

Silvia exchanged a look with Dragon. They had already burned bridges, made enemies. Leaving wasn't a question—it was a necessity.

Dragon exhaled. "Where to?"

Mara pulled out another map. "There's a settlement beyond the eastern border. Small, hidden. It's where the rebels have been gathering. If anyone has answers, it'll be them."

Silvia studied the map. "How do we get there?"

Mara smirked. "That's the fun part."

Silvia wasn't sure she liked Mara's definition of fun.

Dragon leaned forward, inspecting the map. "What kind of dangers are we looking at?"

Mara tapped a mark on the map. "Between here and there? Bandits, corporate enforcers, and the occasional wandering monster. And if your enemies know you're leaving the city, you can bet they'll be sending someone after you."

Silvia let out a slow breath. "Of course they will."

Mara grinned. "You two seem to attract trouble."

Dragon smirked. "We try."

Silvia folded the map and tucked it into her coat. "Then we'd better get moving."

Mara's expression darkened slightly. "If you're going to do this, move fast. And be careful. The people who want you gone? They're not the type to give second chances."

Silvia met her gaze. "Neither am I."

As they stepped out into the cold morning air, Silvia knew one thing for sure—this was only the beginning.