The Watchers in the Dark

The climb back up the spiral staircase was slow and silent. Kael supported Rylan, who leaned heavily on his shoulder, blood still seeping through the makeshift bandage. The two shards—one in Kael's pouch, the other clutched in his free hand—pulsed with a cold, electric light that seemed to draw the shadows closer.

When they finally emerged into the alley, the city felt changed. The air was colder, and the mist that clung to the streets seemed thicker, almost alive. Kael glanced up at the moon, now veiled by clouds, and felt the weight of unseen eyes pressing in from every direction.

"We need a healer," Rylan muttered, his voice strained.

Kael nodded. "We'll go to Ayesha. She owes me a favor."

They moved quickly through the winding streets, keeping to the darkest paths. Kael's senses were on edge; every flicker of movement, every whisper of wind, felt like a threat. The city was no longer just a maze of stone and shadow—it was a hunting ground.

They reached Ayesha's apothecary, a narrow shop wedged between two silent warehouses. Kael knocked twice, then once more, in the pattern Ayesha had taught him. The door opened a crack, and a pair of sharp green eyes peered out.

"Kael?" Ayesha's voice was wary. "You look like death."

"Not me," Kael said. "Rylan needs help."

She let them in, bolting the door behind them. The shop was cluttered with jars of herbs, vials of glowing liquid, and bundles of dried flowers hanging from the ceiling. Ayesha guided Rylan to a cot and began working, her hands quick and sure.

As she cleaned and stitched the wound, Kael paced the room, unable to shake the sense of being watched. The shards in his pouch vibrated, and the shadows in the corners seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat.

Ayesha finished and turned to Kael. "He'll live, but he needs rest. What did this?"

Kael hesitated, then showed her the shards. Ayesha's eyes widened, and she stepped back. "You're playing with dangerous things, Kael."

"I don't have a choice," he replied quietly. "The Eclipse Order is in Veylor. They're after the dagger—and after us."

Ayesha's face paled. "You should leave the city. Tonight."

Kael nodded. "We will. But first, I need answers."

As Rylan slept, Kael sat by the window, watching the moon drift behind the clouds. Silas's voice slithered into his mind, colder and more insistent than ever.

They're coming, little storm. The Order, the Veilwalkers, the shadows you've woken. Every secret has a watcher, and every watcher has a price.

Kael gripped the shards, feeling their power surge through him. He knew the path ahead would only grow darker—but he also knew he couldn't turn back now.

Not while the truth was still hidden in the shadows.