KAI POV:
I walked into Elara's office to find her sitting across from a woman who looked like she'd been through a war and come out the other side angrier for it. Scarred face, missing eye, hands that never stopped moving like she was constantly ready for a fight. Every instinct I had screamed danger, but Elara seemed calm. Focused. Like she'd already decided to trust this stranger.
"Kai." Elara gestured me closer. "This is Nadia. She's here to help us kill the new Collector."
"New Collector." I processed that. "We killed the Collector. Vincent Grey. I saw his body."
"You killed one Collector." Nadia's voice was rough, like she'd screamed too much at some point and damaged her vocal cords. "The Council has been using Collectors for centuries. When one dies, another takes the title. Con
