The city had always been a maze of steel and stone, but tonight, it felt more like a labyrinth—one that Alaric Vane had spent too long walking in the dark corners of, never truly knowing its shape, but always feeling its weight. The Vane legacy had always been just out of reach, buried beneath layers of history, lies, and forgotten bloodlines. But tonight, that veil was beginning to lift, and Alaric was beginning to see just how deep it ran.
He walked briskly down the streets, the sound of his boots echoing off the wet pavement. The air was thick with the scent of rain, but beneath it, there was something else—something in the pulse of the city, in the whispers he could almost hear. It felt like the ground itself was shifting under him.
The safehouse was quiet when he arrived, save for Balen and Vira, who were already preparing for the next move. Alaric had been restless all day—he could feel the eyes of the Hollow Society on him, even when they didn't know where he was. It wasn't just a matter of physical danger anymore. It was the tension, the threat of being hunted.
"We've got a lead on the Vane descendant," Vira said, not looking up from the documents spread across the table. "Her name is Selene Ardyn. She's been living under the radar, but the trail we've picked up points to her being tied to your bloodline."
Alaric felt his breath catch in his chest. Selene Ardyn—he had heard whispers of her name in the farthest reaches of the Vane family's secret circles, but he never thought she could be this close. The last of the bloodline, hidden for years, living in silence.
"She's in the city?" he asked, his voice steady but with a quiet urgency.
"She is," Vira confirmed. "But she's not the only one."
Alaric's brow furrowed as he took a step forward. "What do you mean?"
Balen looked up from his notes. "We've been tracing another name. A Vane descendant tied to ancient texts and rituals. A woman with connections to powerful people, both in the city and abroad. We don't know her location yet, but she's in the network."
Alaric stood still, his heart racing. Another descendant? How many were there? And why had they been kept hidden? What had his ancestors done to ensure their survival, and why was he only now beginning to uncover the depth of it all?
His mind raced through the possibilities—an entire network of Vane descendants scattered across the world, waiting to be brought together. And yet, Hollow Society had been hunting them for years, systematically erasing them, one by one. How many of them had already fallen? How many were left?
"You're thinking too much," Vira said, as if reading his thoughts. "We need to focus on the immediate threat. Selene Ardyn is our first priority. She's your tie to the rest of your bloodline, Alaric. We need to get to her before Hollow does."
Alaric nodded, forcing himself to focus. Selene was the key. She was the one who could help him unlock the truth behind the Vane bloodline. But what if they weren't the only ones searching for her?
He turned to Balen. "Get our people ready. I want the city locked down. No one moves until we know where she is."
Balen nodded, already making his way to the door. "We'll find her. And we'll protect her."
Later that evening:
Alaric sat alone in the shadows of the safehouse, the dim light from the nearby lamp casting long shadows across the room. His thoughts were heavy. Vira and Balen had left to track down leads, but for now, he was alone with his thoughts and the quiet hum of the city outside. The pendant around his neck seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat, its weight no longer just a symbol, but a connection to something far greater than he had ever imagined.
He picked up the documents that Vira had left behind—old maps, records, and handwritten letters from his ancestors. Each page was a thread in the intricate web of the Vane legacy. But there was something missing. Something he couldn't quite grasp.
The sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see Vira standing in the doorway, her expression unreadable.
"Talk to me, Alaric," she said, her voice low but filled with understanding. "You're not just running from Hollow, are you?"
Alaric's gaze met hers, and for the first time in a long while, he let down his guard. "I'm not running. I'm preparing. But I'm starting to realize that everything I've been taught—everything I thought I knew—isn't the whole picture."
Vira stepped closer, her presence steady, grounding him. "It's a heavy burden, isn't it? To carry all of that—your bloodline, your legacy, your power. But don't forget this, Alaric: you're not alone in this anymore."
He nodded, feeling the weight of her words settle over him like a warm cloak. She was right. He didn't have to carry this alone.
The next morning:
The sun had barely risen when Balen and Vira returned with news. The lead on Selene Ardyn had panned out. They'd tracked her to an old Vane safehouse, hidden beneath a well-known establishment. It was an old place, abandoned for years, but still holding the secrets of those who had come before.
As they prepared to leave, Alaric's mind was clearer than it had been in weeks. He knew this wasn't just about protecting what was his anymore. This was about reclaiming everything that had been taken from the Vane family—and in doing so, securing the future of those who had once served them in silence.
The Hollow Society had made their move. But now, Alaric Vane was going to make his.