chapter 9
654 Words
The morning after the assassination attempt, Blackthorn City woke to a new rumor.
Someone had tried to kill Vaelora Nyx.
Most people didn't believe it.
Because monsters weren't supposed to die.
Vaelora sat in a private conference room inside Nyx Industries.
The dead attacker's file lay open before her.
No name.
No family.
No history.
It was as if the man had never existed.
Ryven stood nearby.
"Every record was erased."
Vaelora's fingers tapped once against the table.
"Not every record."
Ryven looked at her.
Vaelora's eyes narrowed.
"People always leave traces. The question is whether we're smart enough to find them."
A knock interrupted them.
One of her security chiefs entered.
His face was pale.
"Miss Nyx..."
He placed a photograph on the table.
The room instantly became colder.
Ryven picked it up first.
Then froze.
The photo showed a warehouse wall.
Written across it in blood-red paint were five words:
STOP DIGGING OR YOU DIE
Silence filled the room.
Most people would see a threat.
Vaelora saw a mistake.
Because threats revealed fear.
And fear meant weakness.
For the first time since the attack, she smiled.
A small smile.
A dangerous one.
"Good," she said.
Ryven frowned.
"Good?"
Vaelora stood.
"They're nervous."
—
Across the city, Kaelor Veyn received his own surprise.
One of his trusted investigators had vanished.
Not resigned.
Not disappeared.
Vanished.
The investigator's office was empty.
His apartment was untouched.
His bank accounts were frozen.
Only one thing remained.
A package delivered directly to Kaelor's desk.
Inside was a single flash drive.
Kaelor inserted it into a secure computer.
The screen flickered.
Then displayed a video.
A masked figure appeared.
Distorted voice.
Hidden face.
No identifying features.
The figure spoke only one sentence.
"Stay away from Vaelora Nyx."
The video ended.
Silence followed.
Selene watched from across the room.
"What does it mean?"
Kaelor leaned back slowly.
"It means someone believes she's important."
Selene folded her arms.
"Or someone wants you to think she is."
Kaelor didn't answer.
Because both possibilities were dangerous.
—
Later that evening, Selene sat alone in her apartment.
A burner phone rested on the table.
Its screen glowed.
A single message had arrived.
The job failed.
Selene stared at the words.
Her jaw tightened.
Four trained attackers.
Four failures.
And Vaelora Nyx was still alive.
Slowly, Selene deleted the message.
Then destroyed the phone.
No evidence.
No mistakes.
No witnesses.
Her expression hardened.
Perhaps she had underestimated Vaelora.
That wouldn't happen again.
—
Meanwhile, Darius Valek stood inside a private art gallery after closing hours.
No guards.
No cameras.
Only silence.
He stopped before a painting of a king wearing a crown made of black iron.
One of his associates approached.
"The message was delivered."
Darius nodded.
"And their reactions?"
The associate smiled.
"Exactly as expected."
Darius looked at the painting.
Two rulers.
One throne.
That was the lie everyone believed.
Because while Kaelor and Vaelora fought for power—
No one noticed who already possessed it.
Darius touched the edge of the frame.
"They're beginning to search."
The associate hesitated.
"Should we be concerned?"
Darius laughed softly.
"No."
A pause.
Then his eyes darkened.
"But we should be prepared."
—
Near midnight, Vaelora left her office.
She stopped beside the glass wall overlooking Blackthorn City.
The threat on the warehouse wall replayed in her mind.
STOP DIGGING OR YOU DIE
Someone wanted her afraid.
Someone wanted her to retreat.
Someone didn't understand who she was.
Vaelora looked out over the city lights.
Cold.
Unmoving.
Determined.
Then she spoke quietly to the darkness.
"If you're trying to scare me..."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"...you've chosen the wrong woman."
Somewhere else in Blackthorn City, Kaelor Veyn was reaching the same conclusion.
Neither of them knew the truth yet.
But the hidden enemy had made one critical mistake.
Instead of stopping the hunt—
He had given both monsters a reason to start one.
- Writer
