Sleep eluded Kael that night. He lay on his back, eyes fixed on the ceiling, listening to the city's muffled sounds and the rhythmic ticking of the box's magic. Shadows pooled in the corners of the room, and every creak of the inn made his hand twitch toward his sword.
Rylan slept fitfully in the other bed, muttering in his dreams. Kael envied him. For him, sleep was a battlefield—memories and nightmares warring in the dark.
You're restless, Silas whispered in his mind, voice curling like smoke. Something's coming. I can feel it.
Kael ignored the spirit, but the unease wouldn't leave him. He rose quietly, wrapping his cloak around his shoulders, and stepped out onto the narrow balcony. The city stretched below, lanterns flickering in the mist. Somewhere, a bell tolled midnight.
He let the cool air calm him, focusing on the distant sounds: a dog barking, the clatter of a wagon, the faint notes of a street musician. But beneath it all, he sensed something else—a presence, watching, waiting.
A shadow detached itself from the alley below and began to climb the wall with unnatural grace. Kael's breath caught. He slipped back into the room, shaking Rylan awake with a hand over his mouth.
Rylan's eyes flew open, and Kael pressed a finger to his lips. "We have company," he mouthed.
Rylan nodded, rolling silently off the bed and drawing his short sword.
The window creaked open. A figure slipped inside, landing soundlessly on the floor. She was tall and lean, dressed in black from head to toe, her face hidden behind a silver half-mask. Her eyes—sharp and grey—fixed on the box on the table.
Kael stepped into the moonlight, sword drawn but held low. "You picked the wrong room."
The intruder didn't flinch. Her gaze flicked from Kael to Rylan, then back to the box. "I'm not here for you," she said, her voice low and musical. "Just the artifact."
Rylan edged closer to the box. "You'll have to go through us."
The woman tilted her head, considering. "I'd rather not. But I will if I must."
Kael studied her stance—relaxed, but ready to strike. She moved like someone used to danger, and the way she eyed the box told him she knew exactly what it was.
"Who sent you?" Kael asked.
She smiled behind the mask. "A friend. Or an enemy. Depends on what you do next."
Kael's grip tightened on his sword. "You're not taking the box."
She shrugged, stepping back toward the window. "Then keep it. But know this: you're not the only ones searching for the dagger. The Eclipse Order is already in Veylor. They'll come for you soon."
With a flick of her wrist, she tossed something onto the bed—a small silver coin etched with a crescent moon.
"If you want answers, follow the moon," she said, then vanished into the night as swiftly as she'd come.
For a moment, neither Kael nor Rylan moved. Then Rylan let out a shaky breath. "Who was that?"
Kael picked up the coin, feeling its weight in his palm. "A warning. Or an invitation."
He turned the coin over, studying the crescent moon. A memory stirred—an old story his father used to tell, about a secret society that traded in forbidden knowledge.
The Veilwalkers, Silas whispered. They deal in secrets and shadows. Trust them at your peril.
Kael pocketed the coin, meeting Rylan's gaze. "We need to move. If the Eclipse Order is here, we can't stay."
Rylan nodded, already gathering their things. "Where to?"
Kael looked out at the city, the moonlight painting silver patterns on the rooftops. "We follow the moon. And hope we find answers before the shadows find us."
As they slipped into the night, Kael felt the weight of the box, the coin, and his secrets pressing down on him. The game had changed—and the silent price of shadows was only beginning to be paid.