Chapter 22: Hunter’s Snare

The rooftops of Aeris were a shadowy labyrinth, their edges jagged and slick from the damp winds that howled through the city. Balthar Drik crouched low, his broad shoulders cloaked in darkness as he watched the apartment below. Despite his imposing stature, he blended seamlessly into the night. His only companion was the flask of jade liquor he carried, its bitter contents providing little warmth against the biting cold.

For hours, he had waited, his instincts keeping him rooted in place. The woman with the curly hair at the bar had provided a promising lead: watch Calen Ardyn. If anyone knew where the elusive daughter of the Veyne family was hiding, it would be him.

The irony of it all was not lost on Balthar. He had spoken to this same man on his first night in Aeris, in the very bar where his search had begun. There had been something odd about Calen even then, but Balthar hadn’t pressed further. Now, all the pieces seemed to be falling into place.

As he took another sip from his flask, the figure he had been waiting for finally appeared. Calen Ardyn. He moved briskly, his breath visible in the cold night air as he entered the building.

“Late night, eh?” Balthar muttered to himself. “Not coming from the bar, though. What’ve you been up to, kid?”

Moments after Calen disappeared inside, another figure approached. Tall and gangly, the man moved with a peculiar gait. Balthar’s sharp eyes followed him as he stopped at Calen’s door. The stranger left something behind—a note, perhaps—then rang the bell before slipping away into the shadows.

“Curious,” Balthar murmured, leaning forward. “What are you hiding, Mr. Ardyn? And who’s this new player?”

He didn’t have long to dwell on it. Not even a minute later, another figure arrived at Calen’s door.

This one was different.

“Oh, my, what have we here?” Balthar mused with a grin.

It was a young woman, tall for her gender, her long hair catching what little light the street offered. She was wrapped in layers of fabric—an elegant white dress beneath a heavy coat—and her movements betrayed an air of distress. Her shoulders trembled as though she were crying, and within moments, she had slipped inside.

Balthar chuckled softly, the sound low and gravelly in his chest. “Quite the busy apartment you’ve got there, Mr. Ardyn. You’re becoming more interesting by the minute.”

He waited, his flask now empty, and kept his vigil. Not long after, the girl burst out of the building, her steps quick and uneven as she fled into the night.

“Well, well,” Balthar said, rising to his feet. “Seems like I’ve found my little bird after all.”

Tossing back the last dregs of his flask, he stuffed it into his coat and muttered, “Time to earn my keep.”

He moved swiftly, leaping from rooftop to rooftop with surprising agility for a man of his size. The hunt had begun.

The girl weaved through the dark streets of Aeris, her pale form almost luminous against the shadows. Balthar followed effortlessly, a silent predator stalking his prey. His heavy boots made no sound on the rooftops as he closed the distance between them.

Finally, she stopped, collapsing in a narrow alleyway, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She pressed her back against the damp stone wall, clutching at her chest as she tried to steady herself.

Balthar dropped into the alley with a thunderous crash, his boots hitting the ground with enough force to make her flinch.

Livra gasped, her wide eyes snapping to the figure before her. She scrambled back, her hands scrabbling against the rough cobblestones, but there was nowhere to go.

The towering man loomed over her, his shadow swallowing the faint light of the streetlamp above. His voice was deep and unyielding, leaving no room for argument.

“You’re coming with me.”

Livra’s body trembled as she stared up at him, her cheeks streaked with tears and dirt. She knew there was no escape, not from someone like him. Slowly, with a quiet resignation, she nodded.

The hunter had his prey.