Deals in the Dark

Liam adjusted his stance, keeping Vance in his periphery as they stepped out of the ruined outpost. The night was thick with tension, the echoes of their battle still lingering in the cold air. The sky stretched wide above them, stars barely visible through the swirling mist rolling in from the east.

They needed to move.

Iris stayed close, fingers twitching near the hilt of her dagger. Ileana walked a few steps behind, bow loosely gripped but ready. Neither of them trusted Vance. Neither did Liam.

But right now, trust wasn't necessary. Survival was.

Vance led them down a narrow path through the trees, moving with the effortless ease of someone who knew these lands well. Their cloak barely rustled, their movements calculated. They weren't just a bounty hunter. They were something else.

Liam's ribs ached with every breath, but he pushed forward. His mind was already working through possibilities.

Vance wasn't here for the bounty.

They wanted something else.

And Liam needed to figure out what.

A Hunter's Refuge

After what felt like an hour of silent travel, Vance finally slowed near a secluded alcove, half-hidden by a thicket of gnarled trees. A small, well-hidden shelter lay nestled against a rock face—nothing more than a reinforced hut with a heavy tarp covering its entrance.

Vance stepped forward and peeled back the tarp, revealing a dimly lit interior with a table, a few chairs, and a locked chest in the corner.

"Welcome to one of my little hideaways," Vance said smoothly, gesturing them inside. "Not exactly a palace, but it'll do for now."

Liam exchanged a glance with Iris and Ileana before stepping in first. The space was compact but efficient—built for someone who valued mobility over comfort.

Vance pulled the door shut behind them. "Now," they said, tossing their rifle onto the table. "Let's talk."

Iris crossed her arms. "Talk about what?"

Vance smirked. "Your next move."

They leaned against the table, gaze flickering between the three of them. "Right now, every bounty hunter in this region knows your name, Liam. You don't have the luxury of wandering around without a plan. So…" Their amber eyes gleamed.

"What's it going to be?"

Liam's fingers curled. They weren't wrong.

He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he studied Vance—the way they watched him, the way their expression shifted between amusement and something far more calculating.

"You already have a plan in mind," Liam said finally. "So why don't you just get to it?"

Vance chuckled. "Sharp." They reached into their coat and pulled out a sealed parchment with a wax insignia—one Liam didn't recognize.

"I have an opportunity," Vance said, tossing the parchment onto the table. "Something that might get the heat off you—at least for a while."

Liam's gaze flickered to the seal. "What is this?"

Vance tilted their head. "Ever hear of Velmoran Keep?"

Silence. Then—

Ileana stiffened. "…You're joking."

Vance grinned. "Oh, I never joke about money."

Liam glanced between them. "What's Velmoran Keep?"

Ileana's expression darkened. "It's a fortress-city, far north of here. It's ruled by a merchant prince who funds half the bounty contracts in this region."

Liam frowned. "And?"

Ileana exhaled. "And… it's a place where a lot of dangerous people gather. Thieves. Mercenaries. Information brokers. If you go there, you'll be walking straight into a nest of vipers."

Vance's smirk widened. "Which makes it the perfect place for someone like you."

Liam's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Vance tapped the parchment. "Because there's a man there—a broker who deals in knowledge. He knows things about hidden factions. About Architects. And about the real reason you have a bounty on your head."

Liam's pulse spiked.

Iris shifted. "And why do you care about this broker?"

Vance chuckled. "Because he also happens to owe me a favor."

They leaned in, amber eyes gleaming. "So here's my offer, Voss."

"You come with me to Velmoran Keep."

"You meet this broker."

"And in return?" Their voice dropped, turning smooth as a blade's edge.

"You give me a reason to believe you're worth more alive than dead."

A Gamble in the Dark

Liam didn't move. Didn't speak. He let Vance's words sink in.

A broker who knew about the Architects.

A chance to learn why his bounty was so high.

It was a risk—but wasn't everything?

He exhaled slowly. "And if I say no?"

Vance shrugged. "Then I disappear, and you try your luck running from every bounty hunter in the region. Maybe you make it. Maybe you don't."

They tilted their head. "But let's be honest, Voss." Their smirk turned razor-sharp.

"You're not really the 'run and hide' type."

Liam clenched his jaw. Damn them.

Because they were right.

Iris and Ileana were watching him. Waiting for his decision.

Liam inhaled deeply, then exhaled. Fine.

"Velmoran Keep, then," he said.

Vance grinned, pushing off the table. "That's the spirit."

They grabbed their rifle, slinging it over their shoulder.

"We leave at dawn."

----

To Be Continued…

Liam just made a deal with a bounty hunter who might be more dangerous than the ones chasing him.

But if this broker truly held the answers he needed…

It was a gamble worth taking.