Unlawful Shadows | +18

Chapter 1

Elowen's POV

Midway through my internship at Tenebris & Associates, the high-powered law firm nestled among the towering giants of the city, each day felt like a step deeper into the monotony of my daily life. The allure of polished suits and the echo of heels against marble floors had become the rhythm of my routine.

As the sun painted the sky with hues of dawn, I stood before the mirror, adjusting the collar of my blouse and smoothing the edges of my pencil skirt. Each meticulous movement felt like a ritual, a preparation to step into the cutthroat world awaiting me.

Gazing into the mirror, I carefully pinned back my hair, preparing for the day that awaited me at Tenebris & Associates. The reputation of the firm was not just remarkable-it was infamous, and rightfully so. Regarded as the pinnacle of legal prowess in the country, working here was a dream coveted by many, and, my reality.

As I slipped into my heels, the memory of the five grueling rounds of interviews lingered. 'And I'm not even a legal intern,' I shuddered, remembering the unsettling feeling of clammy palms and the weight of anticipation that accompanied me throughout those sessions. Considering the challenges I faced, I couldn't help but wonder about the Herculean tasks awaiting the associates.

'Maybe I should stop complaining about sorting case files and printing documents', I mused as I locked my door and started my journey to another taxing day of paper cuts and hours lost in the file room. 'There's people who have it even worse, Elowen. Get yourself together', I thought, thinking about the legal interns who had to deal with the demanding associates.

The city buzzed with life as I navigated the streets towards my daily prison. Yes, I call it that. Maybe a little dramatic but that's precisely what it feels like. Hours in the file room, breathing in the musty air, sifting through endless case files. My thoughts, however, are abruptly halted as I tuned into the conversation behind me.

"The boy killed his entire family, not even sparing his sister, and he got away with it," exclaimed an angry voice behind me. Ah, the Hawthorne case, I immediately realised, remembering the hushed whispers during work discussing Mr. Tenebris' latest trial. 'It's no surprise he won, despite all the incriminating evidence,' I thought as another voice joined in.

"Zephyr is as much a monster as that boy is," the man fumed. "Does he not have a conscience, freeing a person like that and allowing him to live in the world with the rest of us?" he added, his anger palpable.

My thoughts were now consumed by the enigmatic trio - Zephyr, Lysander, and Zander Tenebris. The mere mention of their names invoked a hushed reverence in the legal realm. The Tenebris brothers were a legendary force in the legal world, their brilliance matched only by the air of mystery that surrounded them. Having founded Tenebris & Associates from the ground up, with years of hard work, the firm is revered around the country, and is the dream of any and every aspiring attorney.

However, as famous as the men were, they were also as elusive. I had never seen them in person, their presence felt only through the hum of efficiency and the unspoken power that resonated within the firm's walls. 'I haven't crossed paths with them after almost three weeks of working here,' I pondered as the building came into view. 'Well, there's no reason for me to cross paths with them either. The only reason that would happen was if I did something extraordinary, which isn't likely to happen,' I thought, thinking back to the file room. 'Or if I massively screw up,' I realised, shuddering at the thought of facing their wrath.

'I haven't met them, and I would like to keep it that way,' I concluded. Just another nine weeks and I'll be done. Satisfied by the thought of seeing 'Tenebris & Associates' on my resume, I quickened my pace as I neared the building.