The Veins of the City

Dorian never meant to find the city. It was supposed to be just another stop on his journey, a detour on the way from Iceland to Russia. But the city has a way of pulling people in-of catching them in its web of narrow streets, flickering lights, and unspoken promises.

Lost and uncertain, Dorian quickly discovers the city is nothing like the world he knows. The air seems heavier here, the shadows deeper, and the people... different. His unease only grows when he meets Alexei-a man whose presence is both commanding and unsettling, as though he knows more about the city and its strange pull than he's willing to say.

Alexei warns Dorian to leave, but it's already too late. The city has taken notice of him. Its beauty is mesmerizing, its dangers subtle and insidious. Alexei, burdened by a past he can't escape, reluctantly becomes Dorian's guide, offering cryptic advice and guarded truths. But even he can't protect Dorian from what the city wants-or from the choices he will have to make.
As Dorian is drawn deeper into the city's maze, he begins to see the threads connecting its people, its history, and himself. Escape might still be possible, but only if Dorian can resist the city's quiet, undeniable pull.