Page 21

21

ROLFO

I push through the crowd, my heart thundering against my ribs with each step. The market's usual buzz fades into a distant hum as panic takes over. Sephy wails against my chest, her tiny fists balled up in distress as I cradle her with one arm.

"Aurelie!" My voice cracks as I shout. "Aurelie!"

Merchants turn to stare, some frowning at the disruption, others backing away at the sight of a frantic demon guardsman. I don't give a shit what they think. My silver eyes scan every corner, every shadow.

"Sir, is everything alright?" A spice merchant reaches out as I pass.

I brush past him without answering, checking between stalls, peering down the narrow alleyway behind the pottery vendor. The weight of Sephy against my chest is both comfort and terror—she's safe with me, but her mother is gone.

"Aurelie!" I roar again, loud enough that several patrons scatter.

Sephy's cries intensify, her little face scrunched up and reddening. I adjust her against my shoulder, patting her back while still moving forward.

"It's okay, little one," I murmur against her silver-blonde curls. "We'll find your mother."

But the words sound hollow even to my own ears. I'd sworn to protect them both. After everything Aurelie had been through, she'd finally started to trust me, to feel safe. And now...

I swing down another side street, scanning the darker corners where the market's edge dissolves into the city proper. My free hand instinctively hovers near my blade.

"Rolfo! Steelclaw!"

I whip around to see Marken, one of the younger guardsmen, pushing through the crowd toward me. His uniform is disheveled, face flushed like he's been running.

"What?" I demand, not slowing my pace as he falls in beside me.

"I saw her—the human woman who stays with you."

I grab his shoulder, fingers digging in. "Where?"

Marken winces but meets my gaze. "Eastern quarter, near the old temple. She was—" He swallows hard. "There was a demon lord with her. Tall, aristocratic. He was using shadow magic."

The blood in my veins turns to ice. "Did you see his face? His insignia?"

"Black and silver. Curved horns with gold tips. He had her by the arm, and she wasn't fighting, but her face—" Marken's expression darkens. "She looked terrified, Rolfo."

Kaelith. The name burns through my mind like acid. I've never seen the bastard up close, but the description matches what I know of the Shadowfall household colors.

"When?" I bark, already calculating the fastest route.

"Not ten minutes ago. They were heading toward the nobles' district."

Sephy howls louder, as if understanding the conversation. Her tiny body trembles against mine, and I tuck her closer, wrapping my cloak around her.

"She knows," I mutter, more to myself than Marken. "She senses it."

Marken's eyes widen as he looks at the baby. "What will you do?"

What will I do? The question hammers through me along with a thousand images of what that monster might do to Aurelie. The same monster who'd claimed her at nine years old. Who'd treated her as property. Who'd impregnated her against her will.

Sephy's cries soften to whimpers against my chest. Her violet eyes, still shimmering with tears, lock onto mine with an intensity that startles me.

"I know, little one," I whisper. "I'll bring her back to us. I promise."

But I can't risk this little girl who holds my heart in her palms. Both she and her mother have claimed pieces of my soul . Which means I need to keep them both safe.

Without answering, I already know where I need to go. I race through the streets, clutching Sephy to my chest, her frightened cries growing hoarser with each passing minute. The crowds part before me—whether from respect for my uniform or fear of my expression, I don't care. My thoughts spiral into increasingly violent scenarios of what Kaelith might be doing to Aurelie.

"It's okay, sweet girl," I whisper against Sephy's silvery curls. "We'll find her."

But the words taste hollow and desperate on my tongue. I've failed her. Failed them both.

Dezoth's home appears ahead—a stark, imposing structure of black stone with silver filigree around the windows. No household staff to navigate, thankfully. Just the straight-backed, golden-eyed bastard I need right now.

I hammer on his door with my free hand, not bothering with the knocker. Sephy's wails escalate, as if she can sense my rising panic.

The door flies open, and Dezoth stands there, irritation quickly morphing to alert concern. His obsidian hair is pulled back in its usual silver cord, his training leathers suggesting I've interrupted his workout.

"Steelclaw? What?—"

I push past him, unable to stand still. "Aurelie's gone. Kaelith has her."

His golden eyes narrow to dangerous slits. "How?"

"Market. I was with the spice vendor. I didn't even realize that we got separated." My voice breaks. "I turned around and she was gone. Marken saw her being taken—eastern quarter, shadow magic."

Dezoth closes the door with deliberate calm that contrasts with the tension radiating from him. "He came here himself?"

"He must have known she would be there," I answer, pacing in tight circles as Sephy's crying softens to hiccupping sobs.

"I'm assuming he took her with him." He moves to a carved wooden cabinet, pulling out maps of the city. "His main estate is in the Obsidian District."

My free hand forms a fist. "We need to get there. Now."

"And do what, exactly?" Dezoth's voice remains measured, infuriatingly practical. "Storm the heavily guarded compound of one of Ikoth's oldest noble families?"

"If that's what it takes."

"You'll die before reaching her." He spreads the map across a dark wooden table. "And that helps her how?"

"I can't just—" I fight to control my voice as Sephy whimpers against me. "He'll kill her. Or worse."

Dezoth's eyes flash. "Not if we're smart. I know people in his household. Guards who owe me favors."

A sliver of hope cuts through my despair. "You'll help me?"

"I've seen how you look at her." His words hold no judgment, just fact. "And I know what Shadowfall does to his possessions."

A knock at the door interrupts us. Dezoth tenses, hand moving to the blade at his hip, but the door swings open to reveal Ada, her honey-blonde braid coming undone, face flushed from running.

"Rose told me—" Her warm brown eyes fix on Sephy, then on me. "Aurelie?"

I can't speak. Just shake my head.

Ada crosses the room with determined steps, holding her arms out. "Let me take her."

I hesitate, then gently transfer Sephy to Ada's waiting embrace. The moment she settles against Ada's chest, Sephy's crying softens further.

"She needs her mother," I choke out, the words scraping my throat raw.

Ada reaches up, her calloused palm cupping my cheek. Her touch is firm, grounding. "Then bring her back."

The simple directive hits like a physical blow. Ada's eyes, usually warm, now burn with fierce conviction.

"If you love them— fight for them."

The word "love" hangs between us, undeniable. I've known it for weeks, tried to ignore it, told myself it was inappropriate, impossible. But now, with Aurelie in danger, the feeling blazes through me like wildfire.

I nod once, jaw set. "I will."

Turning back to Dezoth, I find him studying me with new intensity. "Show me where this bastard lives. Storming it might be a bad idea, but I can slip in easily."

Dezoth meets my eyes, mercury against gold. "Give me an hour to contact my sources. We'll know which wing they're keeping her in before we set foot on the property."

I glance at Sephy, now quieter in Ada's arms though her violet eyes remain fixed on me. The crescent birthmark on her chest glows faintly beneath her swaddling clothes.

"An hour," I agree, though every minute feels like agony. "Then I'm going to bring her home."