The Alley,
A few moments ago.
A man leaned against the cracked brick wall, cigarette glowing faintly in the gray dawn. His eyes lingered on the trembling twins pressed into the shadows at the far end of the alley.
Heavy boots echoed on the uneven stones as another figure approached.
"What's this, Gil?" the first man muttered without looking up.
"Boss's orders," the newcomer replied with a rough voice. "Butcher."
The man finally turned his face-tired and grim.
"Oops, you prefer Jacque," Gil said with a dry chuckle. "You know what to do. Boss wants the twins gone. No witnesses."
Jacque's fingers tightened around his cigarette. He glanced toward the girls, then back at Gil. His jaw clenched, but he said nothing.
Gil's voice dropped low. "No questions, Jacque."
Jacque crushed his cigarette underfoot. "Fine. I'll handle it."
Jacque pushed himself off the wall, the weight of the task heavy on his shoulders.
The alley was cold and still, broken only by the soft sobs of the twins.
He moved closer, careful not to startle them too soon.
With a bitter sigh, he muttered, "This damn job never gets easier."
Slowly, he drew a rusted knife, clearly annoyed at being stuck with the final task.
The twins cowered against the brick wall, their terrified eyes catching the dim morning light.
Then a burst of wind swirled around the alley, a sudden gust that cleared the stagnant air.
At the man's side, Lyndis appeared silently, a shadow slipping into the space between them with the grace of one accustomed to moving unseen.
She didn't waste time.
"That's enough," her voice cut through the stillness, cold and commanding.
Jacque stiffened, turning with a scowl. "Hah? Who the hell-" His words died as his eyes met hers.
Lyndis Farne.
His hand instinctively tightened around the handle of his knife as his gaze flicked to the insignia on her uniform-the dragon emblem, unmistakable.
His hesitation was evident.
"This ain't your concern, lady," he growled, trying to regain some control over the situation.
Lyndis didn't blink. Her eyes shifted from the twins, their trembling forms pressed against the alley's wall, back to him.
"How much?" she asked, her voice unwavering.
Jacque blinked in confusion. "What?"
"I'm buying them," Lyndis stated, her gaze never leaving his.
A dry, humorless chuckle escaped him. "They're not worth a damn copper. Sickly little things won't last a week. Just go your merry way"
Lyndis remained silent, waiting, her expression steady and unyielding.
The man hesitated, looking down the alley nervously, then shrugged. "Fine. Fifty silvers."
Without a second thought, Lyndis pulled out a small pouch, tossing it to him without hesitation.
He caught it. "Pleasure doing busine-"
But before he could finish, Lyndis' hand snapped out in a blur of motion.
The man gasped as a dagger pressed against his throat, the cold steel digging into his skin.
His face turned grim.
Lyndis' voice was barely a whisper, but it was sharp, each word deliberate. "You enjoy this, don't you? Holding lives in your hands. Deciding who lives and who dies."
He swallowed hard, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "I-it's just business, miss. No hard feelings, I swear-"
She pressed the blade just enough to make him feel the bite of cold steel, the threat of death more real than he could ever ignore.
His breath hitched.
For a single, suffocating moment, the only sound in the alley was the twins' muffled sobs.
Then, as quickly as it came, the dagger withdrew.
Lyndis turned away, her motion swift as she approached the twins. One curled into a tight ball, shielding her sister. The other hesitated, her wide, tear-streaked eyes darting between Lyndis and the man.
Slowly, cautiously, she reached out-gripping the hem of Lyndis' sleeve.
Lyndis knelt, her expression softening. "It's alright," she murmured, her tone gentle. "You're safe now."
The girl hesitated for only a moment before collapsing against her, trembling. The other twin followed soon after, clinging to Lyndis as if she were the only thing keeping them tethered to the world.
Lyndis adjusted her grip on them, standing, and without another glance at the man, she walked away, disappearing into the morning mist with the twins in tow.
Jacque let out a shaky breath, his hand brushing his throat.
His hand came away clean. No blood.
He sagged against the wall, muttering under his breath, "Crazy bitch... but with this I can finally leave this place with Maddie."
His hand slipped beneath his shirt and clasped a small silver locket, its surface worn smooth by years of wear. He popped it open with a practiced flick of his thumb.
Inside, a faded sketch-hand-drawn and delicate-showed a little girl with wide eyes and a hopeful smile.
Jacque's lips twitched, almost into a smile. "Just a little longer, kiddo. Just a little-."
A slow clap echoed from the shadows.
The man froze.
Kathris stepped into the dim light, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
"Jacque, I told you to dispose of them," he said flatly, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
Jacque turned, startled. "Boss-I did. I mean, I sold them. To her."
Kathris stopped walking.
His head tilted ever so slightly, his cold eyes locking onto Jacque's.
"I didn't ask you to sell them," he said, his tone quiet but sharp as broken glass. "I asked you to get rid of them."
Jacque stammered, panic rising in his chest. "S-she offered coin, I thought-figured we'd make something out of nothing. I didn't want to start a fight with-"
"You didn't want to die," Kathris interrupted, his voice a low, menacing growl. "That's what this is. Cowardice."
Jacque raised his hands in a defensive gesture, backing up, his heart pounding. "She had a knife, boss. I swear-"
Kathris moved in a blink.
Steel flashed. The man gasped.
A sick, wet sound filled the alley as Kathris drove his dagger into Jacque's gut, twisting the blade with lethal precision.
"You disobeyed me," Kathris hissed into the man's ear. "Boss... you promised me-Maddie-my daughter..."
The body dropped to the ground, lifeless.
Kathris stood over him in silence, his cold gaze watching the blood pool at his feet. He wiped the blade clean with casual precision.
"Pathetic," he muttered to himself, almost as if the words didn't matter, "Disobedience has no place in my ranks."
He sheathed his blade and turned, his eyes flicking toward the mist where Lyndis had disappeared moments before.
"She walks away thinking she's righteous," he said to no one in particular, his voice low and dangerous.
His gaze shifted toward the horizon, where the morning sun began to break through the haze.
"If she ever learns that I traded with the dragons..." A dry laugh rasped from his throat. "She won't just burn this alley. She'll burn the whole damned city."
Then, barely more than a breath, his voice dropped to a low growl.
"This isn't over, Lyndis Farne. Not by a long shot.