Broken Silence

Chapter Three

The air is cooler this time of night, a rare break from the city's usual suffocating warmth. I make my way through the alleyways, the light from the neon signs above casting sickly glows against the grime-covered walls. Somewhere, a pipe bursts in the distance, filling the air with the hiss of steam. It's the same familiar soundtrack, the same dirty scenery. But tonight, there's a chill in my bones that wasn't there before. Rook's words are rattling around in my head, each one sinking a little deeper.

You need me.

I rub my thumb along the handle of my trident as I walk. The cool silver helps steady my nerves, grounding me. It always does. But tonight it's not enough. I've had enough of being the city's lone soldier, fighting battles I can't win. The Blackwater Syndicate isn't just the problem—it's the root of it all, and as much as I hate to admit it, Rook might be the only way I'll ever get close to them.

We didn't part on the best of terms, Rook and I. After all, the last time I saw him, he was dragging a body out of a dark alley, and I was trying to take his head off with a pipe. But things are different now. We're not kids anymore, and the city's darker than it's ever been.

I reach the edge of the alley and stop, looking around. I'm not alone, but that's nothing new. The city has eyes everywhere. My instincts scream at me to move fast, to keep going. But something about tonight feels... off.

That's when I hear it: the faint scuff of boots on wet concrete.

I glance back down the alley, expecting to see one of the usual strays, some junkie looking for their next fix, or maybe a low-level goon trying to earn some coin. But it's not. Not exactly.

A figure steps out of the fog, a shadow among the shadows. A woman.

She's tall, wearing a long coat that sways with every step. Her face is partially obscured by a hood, but I can make out the sharp set of her jaw, the way she moves. Like a predator. Her eyes are sharp and calculating, gleaming in the low light.

"Chase Moonshine," she says, her voice smooth and cold, like ice scraping against glass.

I tense, my fingers tightening around the trident. I don't like surprises, and I definitely don't like strangers in the dark.

"Who the hell are you?" I ask, my voice low and dangerous.

She smirks, and for a moment, I think I see something familiar in the way she holds herself. Someone from my past? But no. She's a stranger—too poised, too controlled. And that look in her eyes? That's not someone here for a friendly chat.

"Name's Valen," she says, stepping closer. "I work for the Syndicate."

I blink, trying to keep my face neutral. If she's here on their orders, that's a problem. I don't know why she's looking for me, but I already don't trust it.

"I don't work for anyone," I reply, my voice biting. "And I sure as hell don't work for them."

She tilts her head, her smile widening, but it's not a smile that reassures me. It's the smile of someone who's seen too much, who's too comfortable in the dark.

"I know," she says softly. "That's why I'm here."

I don't move. I don't let my guard down. But I do let a little curiosity slip through the cracks in my armor. Why the hell is she here? Why approach me, unless she's got something up her sleeve? Something more than just a typical Syndicate trap?

"Why are you looking for me?" I ask, not bothering to hide the suspicion in my voice. "Did the Syndicate send you to clean up the mess I left behind?"

Valen laughs, a low, melodic sound that feels too calm for the situation. "Oh, Chase. If they wanted you dead, you wouldn't still be walking around." She takes another step forward, eyes fixed on mine. "No, they sent me because I know you're not like the others."

I frown. "I'm nothing like them."

"Oh, I beg to differ." She tilts her head, her gaze calculating. "I've been watching you for a long time, Chase. You're one of them, whether you like it or not."

My grip tightens on the trident again. "Careful, lady. You don't want to find out what happens when you get too close."

She smiles again, like she's enjoying this. "I think I'm already closer than you think, Moonshine. The Syndicate has eyes on you, too. They know what you're trying to do."

I don't like the way she says that. It's like she's in my head, like she knows all the twisted little things that go on in there when I close my eyes at night.

"I'm not interested in talking shop," I say. "If you came here to threaten me, you're wasting your time."

"Oh, no, I didn't come here to threaten you." Her smile fades just a little, replaced by something darker, more serious. "I came to offer you something."

Now my interest is fully piqued, though I still don't trust her. "A deal?" I ask, more out of curiosity than anything else. I've made enough deals in this city to know that nothing comes for free.

Her eyes gleam with a dangerous kind of amusement. "A deal," she agrees. "You're trying to bring the Syndicate down, yes? You want to end their reign, destroy everything they've built."

I don't answer. There's no point. She's not wrong. She knows exactly what I'm trying to do. But I'm not the only one with motives in this city, and she's not the only one with the power to make things happen.

"What's the catch?" I ask, suspicion threading through my voice.

She steps closer, her smile turning wicked. "There's always a catch. But I think you'll like this one." She pauses for a beat, watching me closely. "The Syndicate's power isn't just political or financial. They're hiding something much more... dangerous."

I don't flinch. But I feel it—a shift in the air, a ripple that runs through my bones.

"You're not talking about their money or their muscle," I say. "You're talking about something else. Something supernatural."

She nods, her expression growing darker. "Yes. And that's where you come in, Chase. You've got something they don't—blood tied to the gods. And the Syndicate wants it. They've been hunting for you for a long time, haven't they? They want to use you, control you."

I feel my blood run cold. It's not like I don't know about the gods. They're as real as the monsters lurking in the streets, as real as the corruption that rots the city from the inside out. But no one—no one—talks about them openly.

At least, not like this.

"And what exactly do you want from me, Valen?" I ask, my voice tight. "I know you didn't come out here in the middle of the night to hold my hand."

Her eyes darken. "You'll help me take down the Syndicate. And in exchange, I'll help you stop them from getting to you first."

I narrow my eyes at her. "And how exactly are you going to do that?"

"Let's just say I've got some... leverage. And some friends who know how to deal with the kinds of things that go bump in the night. Things that even the Syndicate can't control."

I don't like the sound of this. Not one bit. But she's right about one thing—I don't have many options left. The Syndicate is closing in, and every day that passes, their grip on the city tightens.

I take a deep breath and weigh my options. There's no easy way out of this, and maybe, just maybe, Valen's the only one who can help me.

"Fine," I say, my voice sharp. "But if you screw me over, I'll personally drag you down into the gutter with the rest of them."

She raises an eyebrow, almost amused. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Chase."

And just like that, the deal is struck.