Chapter 1

ZEKE

I knew the city stank before I even stepped out of the shadows. The air was thick with the smell of rot—magic, corruption and everything in between—and it made my stomach churn. The streets weren’t much better. Piles of rubble, broken stalls, and the low hum of people desperate for anything that could make their lives worth living again.

Not that I cared. I didn’t need any of them. I had my own problems, and none of them had anything to do with whatever curse had taken over this godforsaken city.

I moved quickly, blending into the crowd, keeping my face low, my hands stiff. The coins in my pouch felt heavier, my fingers twitching to touch, to make sure they were still real, but there was more to steal. There was always more to take.

“Watch where you’re going!” A rough hand gripped my arm, pulling me to a stop.

I glanced up. Tall, broad-shouldered, and wearing the insignia of the city guard. “Do you have a problem, soldier?”

He sneered, his fingers tightening. “I could have you thrown in a cell for looking like that.”

“Yeah?” I twisted out of his grip, a smirk curling my lips. “You think the captain would care? Or is it you just want to be the one to punish the thief?”

He took a step closer, but I could see the hesitation in his eyes. The soldiers weren’t as bold as they used to be. They might still wear their armor, still carry their swords, but fear had settled in their bones. It showed in the way his fingers flexed, in the way his eyes darted toward the alleys, like he expected something worse than me to crawl out of them.

I didn’t wait for him to answer. A quick jab to his ribs, and he stumbled back, gasping for air. I was already gone, vanishing into the dark alleys before he could recover.

The streets weren’t safe, but then again, they never had been. The city had fallen long ago—dragons hunted to extinction, magic twisted beyond recognition. The underworld ran this place now.

A few turns later, I found myself outside the old ruin—the one where the cursed artifacts were kept locked away. I’d been in and out of here too many times to count.

I crouched low, scanning the darkened entrance. It was always the same: the stillness, the rain before the storm.

“Look at you,” a voice said from behind.

I didn’t flinch. Didn’t even turn.

“You think you can keep this up forever, thief?”

I recognized the voice, even though I didn’t want to. The dragon prince’s enforcer. Captain Vael. Every part of me wanted to turn and run, but I held my ground.

“I think you know why I’m here,” he said in a low voice.

I held back a sigh and slowly turned to face him.

Without a word, I reached into my pouch and pulled out a handful of coins, tossing them at him. “Here. To keep your men away.”

Vael caught the coins, tossing them up in his hand like he was weighing them. “This is smaller than what we agreed on, don’t you think?”

I clicked my tongue, pulling out more coins and tossing them to him, one after the other. “Better?”

Vael smirked and shook his head, pocketing the coins. “That’s better.”

He gave a half-grin and turned to walk away. “Just remember, if you get caught, it’s on you. Don’t drag me into your mess.”

I nodded, watching him disappear into the darkness. Once the men were out of sight, I quietly slipped into the ruin.

The air inside was stale, thick with dust and something heavier—magic, maybe. It clung to my skin, settling in my throat as I moved deeper. The stone walls were cold beneath my fingertips as I traced them, keeping close to the edges.

I moved quickly, my knives already in hand. I knew the place well, and tonight, I planned to take something worthwhile since there had been talks of new valuable items.

I moved through the dark ruin, my footsteps soft against the stone floor, the sound of gold and trinkets clinking softly in my bag. I muttered under my breath, adjusting the weight of the haul I was carrying. A few pieces of jewelry, some old coins—nothing too remarkable, but it would fetch a decent price.

My boots made no sound on the stone floor as I moved deeper into the ruin. I hummed a low tune, barely loud enough to hear, just to pass the time.

I opened another box, the hinges creaking as I lifted the lid. Nothing in this one. I set it aside and moved on. Another box, another empty disappointment. But then, something caught my eye.

The soft creak of the box opening sounded louder in the silence as I lifted the lid, revealing an object that caught my eye—a stone. It sat inside its casing, glowing faintly with a purple light.

I leaned closer, squinting one eye. It was beautiful, almost… alive in the dim light of the ruin. I reached for it, the cool stone sending a thrill through me.

The secure casing surrounding it was no match for my tools. I twisted and turned, breaking it free with a click. As soon as I did, the stone flared brightly in my hands.

I lifted it to the nearby firelight, tilting it just right and squinting again. “This will fetch a good price,” I muttered to myself, a grin tugging at my lips. “Maybe more than I expected.”

But then, the stone brightened, and before I could even blink, it flared with a harsh, intense light. The brightness was blinding, and a shockwave of energy pulsed outward, slamming into my chest.

I staggered, barely managing to hold on to the stone. It burned against my palm, but I couldn’t let it go. The magic inside it pulsed like a heartbeat, wild and uncontrolled.

Then came the voices. Low whispers curling in the air around me, pressing against my skull. I clenched my teeth, trying to shake them off, but they only grew louder.

Distant footsteps echoed through the ruin. I knew that sound. Soldiers.

I shoved the stone into my bag and turned on my heel, sprinting toward the nearest exit. My vision blurred from the lingering light, but I forced myself forward, muscles tensing with every step.

A shout rang out. Someone had seen me.

I didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop.

I was almost to the door when the magic in the stone pulsed again—harder this time, like it was fighting against me. A wave of dizziness slammed into me, and my steps faltered.

The last thing I saw was the blur of men rushing into the room.

I cursed under my breath—damn my greed—before everything went black.