“I’m sorry Emily, but it would seem Alexander is dead.”

  Emily glanced around the Silvaren’s personal study with cold detachment. Awards lined the walls along with pieces of equipment from different walks of life. A small bookshelf sat in the corner littered with stacks of pages and scrolls.

  Ariandel himself sat across from Emily, and a grand beam of light poured in through a high window in the room.

  Emily adjusted herself in the chair and squinted at the Silvaren. His fur was stuck up at odd angles and he seemed to be breathing irregularly, but he delivered the news with a firm, uncompromising tone.

  There was only one problem, she didn’t believe him.

  “Oh really? How did he pass from this world?” Emily asked as she lounged on the uncomfortable chair.

  Ariandel searched her face with a frown and cleared his throat.

  “Well as far as I can gather. Our friend was captured as a prisoner of war. He was imprisoned on suspicion of collaborating with the armies of Sam’eth.”

  Emily nodded while brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes.

  “Okay, and you have confirmed his death?”

  Ariandel rubbed his neck as he searched Emily's face.

  “He would have been sent to the SourceWell,” he whispered the last part.

  His lack of answer only served to frustrate Emilly

  “Okay, and that would be…”

  Ariandel’s eye twitched as he shook himself.

  “It's a harrowing place, but much more than that it's a death sentence. I’m sorry but only the most influential individual might be able to release someone from that place.”

  Emily narrowed her eyes on the man. She was fully aware Alex was alive or she wouldn’t be here, but Ariandel was going somewhere with this so it would be rude not to let him say his piece.

  He paused to let her absorb the information before he spoke again.

  “I might be able to get him out, but It’ll take some time. I’ll need to call in some favors, and depending on how long it takes them to answer me, it could take months. But worry not, I will uphold my end of the bargain. I will attempt to find out what has become of your friend. So trust in me till then.”

  Ariandel's brows drew together, his gaze lingering on Emily as his fingers tapped rhythmically on the table's edge.

  Emily nodded along with the man but then she spoke.

  “I’m afraid I can’t wait that long. Our current contract ends tomorrow, we’ll discuss it then. But if you can’t get him for me by that time then I think our partnership has run its course.”

  Ariandel face scrunched up, his brow furrowing.

  “We are making history here. Why would you throw that away? Give me another week, we’ll be mostly finished analyzing the data by then, and I’ll hopefully have an answer then ” he said with a hopeful light in his eyes.

  Emily rubbed the bridge of her nose and then glanced up at the man.

  “Ariandel, I feel like we’ve worked together enough this week that you can tell I’m not a patient woman. I even gave you a week, but all you can tell me is he’s probably dead. So either you can’t accomplish the only thing I need you for, or you’re stringing me along.”

  Ariandel face darkened further the corners of his lips revealing sharp fangs.

  “I am not trying to trick you.”

  Emily nodded to herself.

  “And I want to believe you, but you’ve already tried once, and let's face it. It would serve you well to make sure I don’t leave before your research is over.”

  Red source began to shift in the room as though riding the waves of Ariandel’s displeasure.

  “I think I have been more than fair to an outsider. Lest we forget I’m the one who extended his hand first.”

  Emily frowned at the amount of power this man wielded.

  Right now, the source in the room was nothing short of city-shaking. She had never seen Ariandel out of his tower, but she had to assume he had access to a massive amount of power while he was in here.

  Sighing she squinted at the man.

  “Look, there's no need to get defensive. These are all just objective facts. I can’t trust you, and you can’t trust me. So let's just call it here. We have one more day together, so let's be cordial.”

  The temperature in the room had skyrocketed, even going so far as to make Emily sweat, but she never broke eye contact with the bear-like man.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  She could see his mind working behind his eyes, probably trying to find a way to shackle her to him and yet he finally relaxed his shoulders.

  “...Fine, but as a courtesy, I’d appreciate it if you would send someone else from the Weeping to replace you.”

  Emily's mouth twitched but she nodded.

  “I can ask around and see if anyone is interested.”

  Ariandel nodded.

  “Alright, well then I shall see you tomorrow. Hopefully, we make a breakthrough with the information we’ve gathered this afternoon.”

  Emily headed towards the door without so much as a glance back.

  Once she was out of the study she walked past the room everyone was still in, and headed for the tower exit. Not even bothering to see what they were doing. Genevieve watched her go but didn’t attempt to stop Emily.

  The moment Emily stepped into the fresh air, she took a steadying breath.

  Ariandel was getting desperate; he wouldn’t have tried a stunt like that otherwise.

  The walk back to the housing was long, giving Emily ample time to think. If their partnership was nearing its end, she was running out of time. And there was still Alex—how long had he been trapped in this ‘SourceWell?’

  Her options were dwindling, and she needed to act soon. She glanced up at the weather dome overhead, watching as rain pelted against the shimmering field. The relentless flickers of ever-present attacks merged with the storm outside, battering the pane of force like an unyielding symphony of chaos.

  When Emily stepped into the housing she saw that Nox, Ashe, and Cupcake were all there waiting.

  “Emily, we need to talk.”

  Emily nodded and shut the door behind herself so that she might drop into the couch.

  “I think I’ve figured out where they took Alexander.”

  Emily froze in her seat, glancing at Ashe.

  “This place wouldn’t happen to be called the SourceWell would it?”

  Ashe’s eyes widened and she nodded.

  “How did you know? Did Ariandel tell you?”

  Emily pursed her lips.

  “Yeah, but that's all he would say.”

  “Makes sense. Not a lot is known about the place other than its name.”

  Emily squinted at Ashe

  “So have you found anything else out?”

  Ashe’s lips parted as if to speak, but no words came. Her gaze lingered on the ground, and their hands clenched and unclenched at her sides.

  “I did, but not much more than a location.”

  Emily straightened her spine.

  “Actually, by the end of tomorrow, I’ll be free of my current contract so we should probably do it now to make use of whatever protection Ariandel's name will afford us.”

  Ashe grimaced as though she knew this would happen.

  “You told me I had a week…”

  Emily paused and glanced up at the uncertain woman.

  “We’re running out of time here, Ashe. The sooner I can get him out of there the better. He may be alright now but that can change in a heartbeat.”

  Ashe’s bottom lip trembled and she glanced at Emily a light of defiance in her eyes.

  “I’ll agree to take you early, but only if you tell me why this is so important to you. Surely one more day won’t make a difference.”

  Emily stared into the woman's watery eyes and took a breath.

  “Ashe… I can’t give you the details you want. But I can ask you to trust me. I wouldn’t put my life at risk if it weren't my absolute last resort.”

  Ashe searched Emily's face as though she could find the answer to her questions there, but when she realized that she wouldn’t get anything more she swallowed heavily.

  “...Okay, I’ll take you there but, I’m going in with you.”

  Emily’s eye twitched.

  “I get you to want to help but if it's as dangerous as you’ve made it out to be I’d prefer if you stayed here with Nox.”

  Ashe's face flushed red.

  “This isn’t negotiable. The deal is simple. I’ll take you there but we’re going in together.”

  Emily pursed her lips as she looked into Ashe’s eyes. She didn’t want Ashe to come, but that thought alone was strange.

  Why did she have such a problem with Ashe joining? Surely it would be better to have backup wherever she was going.

  Emily closed her eyes and let go of her doubts.

  “Sure. You can come with, but you leave if things look like they are getting dicey.”

  Ashe chewed the inside of her lip but only after a while did she bob her head.

  “Alright, I’m going to get ready. Cupcake will remain here. We don’t need anything that could tie us to this.” Emily said.

  The rime wolf had been lazing in her usual spot but the moment she heard she could not come with she growled her disagreement.

  Emily sighed and glanced at Nox.

  “I suppose I should be glad you don’t want to come with.”

  Nox’s face scrunched up and he shook his head violently.

  “Oh, I want to come with you, but Ashe has already made me promise not to. So just…keep her safe.”

  Emily’s brows raised at Nox’s tone, it sounded genuine. Emily winked at him and headed to her room.

  Once they had decided to leave there was not a lot they needed to do to get ready. Emily gathered her belongings, including a change of clothes better suited for the cover of darkness, and carefully tucked away Ariandel’s badge. When she got back into the common room Ashe was already waiting with a smaller pack fastened to her back.

  “Alright let's head out,” Emily said.

  Nox locked the door behind them with a quiet click, and they traveled toward the elevator. Thankfully, it was still operational despite the late hour.

  The glow of well-lit lanterns lined the path ahead, illuminating their way through the upper city.

  Emily flashed her badge to the guards stationed by the lift, the bright dash of red catching the eye for a brief moment before she tucked it away, hidden once more. The guards nodded and waved them through without a word. The lift creaked softly as it descended, the sound echoing faintly as they approached the living districts

  When they got off, Emily immediately noticed the shift in the crowd. The industrious pace of the day had given way to the languid rhythm of nightlife. People ambled from tavern to tavern, their laughter rising and falling in uneven bursts as they indulged in cheap drinks and cheaper Companions. The scent of roasted meats mingled with the tang of spilled ale, and the sound of a distant instrument drifted through the cool air.

  No one paid any mind to the pair of heavily shrouded women.

  As they descended further, the streets grew quieter, the walls of the gorge towering around them like dark sentinels. Streams of water shimmered faintly in the distance, and the few drifters left lounged in dark corners.

  They arrived at an intersection after an hour of travel and Ashe snuck down into an abandoned alley with practiced ease.

  Emily found herself frowning at the thought of Ashe coming here every night.

  When she got into the passage she could just make out some kind of boarded-up guard house pressed up against the main spine of the city.

  “We have to go through there to get to the center column. While this checkpoint has been forgotten, it will get worse the deeper in we go.”

  Emily nodded as Ashe pulled out a mask.

  “Keep your hood up and use this. Your hair could make it quite easy to identify you. Oh, and it's not the time or place, but I like what you did to it. It looks exotic.”

  Emily snorted.

  “Didn’t have much say in the matter,” Emily said as she pulled the mask up over her mouth leaving just her eyes exposed.

  At the same time, Emily reached into her chest and let out a searching pulse of life force.

  It was faint, at the very edge of her range but she got back a familiar call of blood.

  Blood points: 339