By evening, the awkwardness had settled into something else—a tension that hummed beneath every word, every glance.

  We found Corvin at his usual table in the corner, nursing a drink. He took one look at us and raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Smart man.

  "I need information," I said, sliding into the seat across from him. Kaelith sat beside me—close enough that her thigh pressed against mine. Not an accident.

  I shifted slightly, putting distance between us.

  She shifted closer.

  "On?" Corvin asked, oblivious.

  "The fighting pit. South district. Run by a man named Vex."

  His expression darkened. "That's dangerous territory. Vex has connections. Guards on his payroll, enforcers who don't ask questions."

  "I don't care about his connections." I leaned forward, trying to focus. Kaelith's hand rested on the table, her fingers drumming lightly—close enough to mine that I could feel the heat radiating from her skin. "I need to know his operation. Guard rotations, how many fighters he keeps, where he does business."

  Corvin studied me for a long moment. "You're planning to hit him."

  "I'm planning to kill him," I corrected. "And take everything he has."

  Beside me, Kaelith's fingers stopped drumming. She turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting mine. There was something in her gaze—approval, maybe. Or hunger.

  "Why Vex?" Corvin asked. "There are easier targets if you need coin."

  "I don't need coin." I kept my voice level, refusing to look at Kaelith even though I could feel her staring at me. "I need stronger life force. To grow."

  Understanding flickered across Corvin's face. He didn't ask what I meant—he'd seen enough to know better.

  "How long do I have to gather intel?" he asked instead.

  "Two days. Maybe three."

  He nodded slowly. "I'll see what I can find. But Vex isn't some street thug. He's careful. Paranoid. You'll need a solid plan."

  "I'll have one."

  Corvin stood, draining his drink. "I'll send word when I have something."

  After he left, Kaelith and I sat in silence for a moment.

  "Forest creatures aren't enough anymore," she said quietly. It wasn't a question.

  "No. I've been advancing, but slowly. Too slowly."

  "How much longer can you wait?"

  "I don't have to." I glanced at her. "Vex is the answer."

  She nodded, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass—slow, deliberate movements that made my jaw clench. "Vex is a slaver. Forces people to fight for entertainment. Profits off their suffering."

  "I know."

  "Good." Her voice was cold, but her hand moved across the table, brushing against mine. "Then you won't hesitate when the time comes."

  I pulled my hand back. "I won't."

  She smiled—just a slight curve of her lips—and leaned back in her chair. "Men like that deserve what's coming to them."

  "You're okay with me killing him?"

  "Why wouldn't I be?" Her eyes held mine. "He's a monster. The world's better without people like that." She paused. "Just don't make it messy enough that we spend the rest of our lives running from kingdoms and bounty hunters."

  The words were practical, blunt. Not moral judgment—survival.

  "I'm not planning to paint a target on our backs," I said.

  "Good." She reached out again, her fingers brushing the back of my hand. "Because I want a life with you when this is over. Not a grave or a noose."

  I looked at her—really looked at her. The scars on her face, the brand on her arm, the hardness in her eyes that came from surviving things most people couldn't imagine.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  She understood what I was. What I needed to do.

  But she also wanted something beyond the killing. Something that lasted.

  And somehow, that made me want her even more.

  "We should go," I said, standing abruptly.

  She followed, her movements slow and deliberate. As we walked out of the tavern, her hand brushed against mine—brief, fleeting, but enough to make my pulse quicken.

  I didn't pull away.

  \-

  The next day, Corvin sent word through one of his runners—a scrawny kid who looked like he'd bolt at the first sign of trouble.

  "He says to meet him at the old warehouse. East side. After dark."

  I flipped him a copper and watched him disappear into the crowd.

  When we arrived that night, Corvin was already there, leaning against a stack of crates with a rolled parchment in his hand.

  "Got what you need," he said, spreading the parchment on a nearby barrel. It was a crude map of the south district, with several buildings marked in ink.

  Kaelith leaned over the map beside me, her shoulder pressing against mine. I tried to focus on Corvin's words, but all I could think about was the warmth of her body, the faint scent of her hair.

  "This is Vex's main operation." Corvin tapped a large building near the center. "The fighting pit. Holds about two hundred spectators on a busy night. The fights happen in the basement—stone walls, iron cages, no windows."

  "Guards?" I asked, my voice rougher than I intended.

  "Six on rotation. Two at the main entrance, two patrolling the perimeter, two inside watching the fighters." He traced a line with his finger. "They change shifts every four hours. Midnight is your best window—that's when they're tired and sloppy."

  Kaelith's hand rested on the barrel beside mine, her pinky finger barely touching my thumb. It was such a small thing—barely contact at all—but it made my chest tighten.

  "What about Vex himself?" I asked, forcing myself to concentrate.

  "He's always there during fights. Sits in a private box on the upper level, surrounded by his enforcers." Corvin's expression darkened. "He doesn't get his hands dirty. Lets his men do the killing."

  "Not for long," I muttered.

  Kaelith leaned closer, studying the map. Her breath was warm against my neck. "What about exits? If things go wrong, we need a way out."

  "Two exits. Main entrance and a service door in the back." Corvin pointed to each. "The back door leads to an alley. It's usually locked from the inside, but if you can get to it, you're clear."

  I memorized the layout, committing every detail to memory. "How many fighters does he keep?"

  "Varies. Usually ten to fifteen at any given time. Most of them are slaves—branded, broken, desperate." He paused. "Some of them fight willingly. They think if they win enough, Vex will set them free."

  "Does he?"

  "Never."

  Kaelith's jaw tightened, and her hand moved—just slightly—so her fingers were fully touching mine now. Not holding. Just... there.

  I didn't move away.

  "When's the next fight?" I asked.

  "Two nights from now. Big event. Vex is bringing in a new fighter—some ex-soldier who killed three men in a bar fight. The crowd's going to be packed."

  Perfect.

  "I'll be there," I said.

  Corvin rolled up the map and handed it to me. "Be careful. Vex has survived this long because he's smart. He'll see you coming if you're not careful."

  "He won't see me," I said. "He'll just see another spectator."

  Corvin nodded, though he didn't look convinced. "Good luck."

  After he left, Kaelith and I stood in the dim warehouse, the map spread between us.

  "You're really going to do this," she said.

  "Yeah."

  "And you're going to kill him."

  "Yeah."

  She was quiet for a moment, then stepped closer—close enough that I could feel the heat of her body. "Good."

  I looked at her, surprised. "You're not going to try to talk me out of it?"

  "Why would I?" Her voice was flat. "He's a monster. The world will be better without him." She paused, her eyes searching mine. "Just don't make it so loud that every kingdom sends hunters after us. I want a future with you, not a life spent looking over our shoulders."

  I caught her wrist as her fingers brushed against my jaw. "I'm not planning to make us targets."

  "Good." Her voice was soft, but there was steel beneath it. "Because I didn't survive everything I've been through just to die running from your mistakes."

  The words were harsh, but they were honest. Practical.

  She wanted a life. Not martyrdom.

  "I'll be careful," I said quietly.

  She smiled—small, genuine—and stepped even closer. Her free hand rested on my chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt. "I know you will."

  For a moment, we just stood there, her hand on my chest, my fingers wrapped around her wrist. The tension between us was thick enough to choke on.

  Then she pulled back, her expression shifting to something playful. "We should get back. You need rest before the hunt."

  I let her go, my jaw clenched. "Yeah."

  She turned and walked toward the door, her hips swaying just slightly—enough to make my pulse quicken.

  I followed, hating how much I wanted to close the distance between us.

  \-

  That night, I couldn't sleep.

  I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing. The forest creatures had been weak—barely enough to advance my power at all. Months of draining animals, and I'd grown stronger, but not nearly enough. Not fast enough.

  Vex represented something different. Something human. Something that would let me actually progress, actually become the force I needed to be.

  That was what I needed. Not sustenance. Growth.

  And Vex—slaver, monster, profiteer of suffering—would give me exactly what I needed.

  Beside me, Kaelith shifted, her body pressing against mine. Her hand rested on my chest, her fingers tracing lazy circles over my heart.

  "You're thinking too loud," she murmured.

  "Can't help it."

  "Try."

  Her hand moved lower, sliding down my stomach. I caught her wrist, stopping her.

  "Don't," I said quietly.

  "Why not?" Her voice was soft, teasing. "You want to."

  "That's not the point."

  "Then what is?"

  I didn't have an answer.

  She shifted closer, her lips brushing against my neck. "You're allowed to want things, Darius. You're allowed to take what you need."

  "I need to focus," I said, my voice strained. "The hunt—"

  "Is two days away." Her hand slipped free of my grip, sliding lower. "You have time."

  I closed my eyes, my jaw clenched. Every instinct screamed at me to give in, to pull her against me and lose myself in her.

  But I couldn't.

  Not yet.

  Not until she asked.

  "Kaelith—"

  "Fine." She pulled back, rolling onto her side. "But you're going to break first."

  "No, I'm not."

  She laughed softly. "We'll see."

  I lay there in the darkness, my body tense, my mind racing.

  Two days.

  Then the hunt would begin.

  And maybe—just maybe—I'd stop fighting what I wanted.