Amra’s look of disbelief lingered, as if she found my story mildly amusing. I had just finished recounting my mission from a few days ago. “And they didn’t suspect you at all?” she finally asked, her tone dripping with incredulity.

  I shrugged, doing my best to feign nonchalance. “Why would they? I’ve been told I have a very innocent-looking face, for your information.”

  Isla interjected before Amra could retort. “I’ve heard whispers about the resistance during my walks, but until now, we’ve had no way in. They would never have trusted us unless we revealed our true forms.”

  “And isn’t it a good thing you listened to me?” Amra countered, her tone sharp. “Spreading the idea that elves are sniffing around for the resistance would’ve exposed us in no time.”

  Isla nodded, conceding the point, then turned to one of the twins. “You were following leads on potential resistance activity. Have you found a way to contact them?”

  The twin hesitated before replying. “After the attack, no one dared to even gossip about the resistance. Fear’s silenced everyone. But with that new name you mentioned, maybe I can dig something up.”

  “Next time, report this kind of information faster,” Amra scolded.

  Her comment hit a nerve. I sighed. “Hey, how was I supposed to know that pixie dust gives you the worst hangover across two worlds?”

  Amra’s smirk was all too pleased. She loved moments like this, where she got to lecture me. “Maybe don’t snort lines of unknown magical dust into your nose next time?”

  Okay, fair. It had taken me a full day to recover, but honestly, it was worth it. I’d made connections with people whose skills and backgrounds could prove invaluable down the line. Even if I never saw most of them again, it was better to be remembered as the sociable one rather than the loner everyone assumed had something to hide.

  I turned to Isla, redirecting the focus. “So, do we absolutely need this elusive resistance?”

  She launched into a detailed summary of her last few days spent mapping the palace. She’d made progress, but the sheer number of guards and staff meant it was impossible for her to tackle alone. It would take weeks to map even the accessible areas, with no guarantees she’d ever gain access to the inner sanctum.

  The conclusion was clear: we needed them. Without their intel, this mission would remain purely reconnaissance—a fact that clearly didn’t sit well with Amra, judging by the scowl deepening on her face.

  “It’s settled then,” Amra said, her tone decisive. “We’ll place the mark at the usual spot once we have new information.”

  As the group scattered, I noticed one of the twins heading in the same direction as me. “Onas?” I called out.

  He nodded in acknowledgment, so I kept walking beside him. “What’s your assignment, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  The twins were usually quiet and stoic, so I didn’t know much about them. Most of what I did know came secondhand from Isla.

  “I mostly keep Amra safe,” he replied, his tone matter-of-fact. “Healers are vulnerable, and she likes to travel. This city is anything but safe.”

  I nodded thoughtfully, then glanced at him again. “And what exactly does she do all day?”

  He paused as we reached a point where his path diverged from mine. “She rotates between a few healing wards,” he explained. “People tend to share a lot with someone who’s saved their life.”

  “Good luck, then,” I said, watching as he disappeared down a side street.

  ─── ????? ───

  Unfortunately, this wasn’t like the movies where you could arrange a meeting the same day. Reality required patience. A few days passed before the mark we’d agreed upon was finally changed, signaling new developments.

  In those couple of days, I came to a sobering realization: we needed outside help if we were ever going to get close to the rising emperor. Even with my so-called charming personality, there was no way I could ingratiate myself with anyone of real importance. People in times like these kept their heads down, focused on surviving. Making new connections was a risk few were willing to take.

  Still, the news we managed to uncover gave me some hope. They had dug up information on Bendis—a relatively minor noble within her house, but now, thanks to the purge, apparently the sole heir. Not that it did her much good publicly. I could only imagine most of her family’s assets had been confiscated by now. However, noble families often had hidden connections and funds tucked away for emergencies, so all was not entirely lost.

  We were huddled in the damp shadows of an abandoned wine cellar beneath a decrepit tavern for over an hour now. The air was thick with the scent of mildew and faint traces of spilled spirits long since evaporated. I leaned against a splintering barrel, my eyes darting between my companions, each absorbed in their own way of coping with the waiting.

  Isla, ever composed, stood near the far wall, her features illuminated by the faint flicker of a single enchanted orb.

  The twins sat cross-legged on the floor, their murmured voices too soft for me to make out. They were quiet, efficient, and unflinchingly loyal to Amra, who stood nearby, pacing the small space. Amra’s frustration was palpable; her steps echoed faintly in the confined room, her hand occasionally brushing the hilt of the dagger at her hip.

  I shifted, my back growing sore from the uneven wood, and tried not to let my doubts creep in. What if the resistance didn’t trust us? What if this was a trap? Technically, it had to be, as we were essentially confining ourselves to this narrow space by choice.

  The sound of a faint knock broke the silence. Three quick raps, then two slower ones—our prearranged signal. Amra froze mid-step, her eyes narrowing as she motioned for us to stay back.

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  The door creaked open, revealing a hooded figure who stepped inside without hesitation. “You’ve been looking for us,” he said, his voice low and sharp. “We’re here.”

  Two more hooded figures stepped out of the shadows, joining him. Their movements were deliberate, cautious. The man in the center’s voice cut through the still air, calm but edged with suspicion. “You’ve complied with our demands, so I’m listening.”

  Amra stepped forward, her posture firm despite the tension. “We can help each other if we manage to get past the initial trust issues.”

  His lips curved into a small smile, barely visible under the hood. “That’s the tricky part, isn’t it? Trust tends to be important... and hard to come by.”

  Amra didn’t waver. “We have money.”

  “Money’s nice,” he replied, almost dismissively. “But it won’t do us much good if we’re dead.”

  She reached for her ring, twisting it to dispel the illusion concealing her true form. In an instant, her elven features were exposed, her pointed ears and sharp, elegant face unmistakable in the dim light. “As you can see, we want your little emperor dead at least as much as you do.”

  The man’s smile widened ever so slightly. “That does solve some trust issues. But let’s be clear: right now, we’re just a nuisance to them. If word gets out that elves are in the city, they’ll ransack every corner, and we might be discovered because of it. So, how can we be sure you won’t make a mistake that costs us all our lives?”

  Amra hesitated. It wasn’t like her to falter, but even she couldn’t argue with his logic. “Then why agree to this meeting?” she asked, her voice steady but searching.

  His expression hardened. “Because of the name you started asking about. How did you learn it?”

  Guess this was my time to shine. Stepping into the center, I squared my shoulders, trying to project confidence I didn’t entirely feel. “I infiltrated the mission targeting the Ashfords. I was just cleanup, mind you. But I managed to help someone escape—she called herself Bendis.”

  A heavy silence fell over the room. My pulse quickened somewhat, as it was clear a decision was waiting to be made.

  Finally, the figure to his left moved. She removed her hood, revealing a woman in her mid-twenties with long, flowing black hair and strikingly pale skin. Her eyes, an almost electric blue, seemed to pierce through the dimness. She was stunning, but there was something in her calm, measured movements that added to her aura.

  The man’s head turned toward her, but before he could speak, she raised a hand to silence him. Even her voice radiated confidence and commanded attention. “We’ve been drowning in paranoia for months, and it’s gotten us nowhere. Maybe it’s time we take a chance.” Her gaze shifted to me, her expression softening just slightly. “After all, he did save me.”

  Her words brought my attention sharply back to her face. The woman I had helped barely a week ago had half her face burned, with no hair left on that side. Now, she stood before me without a single blemish, her long, dark hair cascading perfectly. It was almost too much to believe. They must have had some extraordinary healers—or perhaps it was a wig, an enchantment, or even an illusion.

  “Your eyes weren’t nearly as striking when we first met,” I said after a moment, finally breaking the silence.

  Her gaze met mine, steady and composed, encouraging me to continue. “A side effect of a spell to see better in the dark,” she explained, her tone as calm as ever.

  I studied her for a moment longer. There was something faintly familiar, but it was hard to reconcile this elegant figure with the wounded woman I’d encountered. “You clean up well. I never would’ve recognized you,” I admitted.

  She allowed a small smile to surface. “The hair enchantment is worth every gold coin, it seems.”

  I hesitated but decided it was better to address the difficult part head-on. “I’m sorry about your men,” I said, my tone softening. “They attacked so fast. I couldn’t reveal myself—not with my other companion there.”

  Her expression immediately shifted, the guarded mask sliding back into place. “Yes,” she said, her voice tight. “We lost many good people that night.”

  Things quickly began to improve after that, and it wasn’t long before we moved our discussions upstairs to a more traditional negotiating table. Our group sat on one side of the worn wooden table, while the resistance occupied the other. Their leader, the man who had greeted us earlier with guarded suspicion, now leaned forward slightly, his hands steepled under his chin. His sharp eyes darted between us, measuring every move, every word.

  Amra broke the silence first, her voice calm but firm. “We’re here because we share a common goal. The emperor’s rise to power threatens more than just your survival—it endangers the balance of the entire region. We can help.”

  The resistance leader, who had introduced himself as Corvin, arched a skeptical brow. “And what exactly do you think you can offer that we don’t already have?” His tone wasn’t hostile, but it was far from welcoming.

  Amra gestured subtly to Isla, who spread a detailed map of the city across the table. “For starters, information,” Amra said. “We’ve been mapping the palace and its surroundings. There are gaps, yes, but with your knowledge, we could fill them.”

  One of the resistance members, a woman with a sharp jawline and piercing green eyes, leaned forward to study the map. “You’ve got the west gate and the outer walls, but no access to the underground tunnels. Without that, this is barely useful.”

  “That’s where you come in,” Isla interjected smoothly. “You know these tunnels. You’ve lived them. With your help, we could find a way into the palace that avoids detection.”

  Corvin exchanged a glance with the woman before speaking again. “Let’s say we trust you enough to share. What happens then? We still don’t have the numbers to take the palace, and even if we did, the emperor’s guards would crush us.”

  This time, I spoke. “You don’t need to storm the palace. You need a distraction, something big enough to draw his forces away.”

  Corvin leaned back, considering. “Let’s say we can give you a distraction. Then what?”

  “If we get him alone—or nearly alone—we’ll try to assassinate him,” I said, my tone even and not breaking eye contact.

  He froze for a moment, then let out a sharp laugh that made me bristle. “You’ve got no idea how powerful he is. I’ve seen him kill a dozen men in seconds. He’s got speed, strength, and invulnerability.” He shook his head, his disbelief dripping from every word. “I thought you had a realistic plan, but this? Pure stupidity.”

  I leaned forward across the table, my voice dropping to a near-growl. “I know exactly what he did to the elven army. I wouldn’t even consider going after him if I didn’t have a few surprises of my own.” His expression told me he wasn’t buying it, so I pushed ahead before he could dismiss me outright. “I’m not saying I could take him in a straight fight. But if we can catch him off guard, I might be able to wound him, at the very least.”

  Bendis, quiet until now, spoke with careful deliberation. “He did open a portal on his own. That’s... rare.”

  Corvin’s skeptical smile faded, replaced with a more pragmatic one. “While it’s nice to dream big, maybe we should focus on the short-term for now. We need gold—lots of it—if we’re going to rebuild our strength. Most of our funds are gone, and Bendis can’t exactly flaunt her status right now.”

  “What are you suggesting?” I asked, wary of where this might lead.

  He leaned back, clearly warming to his idea. “I’ve got sources who say the emperor is planning some games in the city arena to celebrate his latest victory abroad. One of the contests will be a duel tournament with lavish prizes.” He looked directly at me, his grin sharp. “If you’re as good as you claim, you shouldn’t have any trouble winning it.”

  My heart sank. Not just a duel—a whole string of them. Perfect. Just perfect.

  Amazon.