The night air was thick with the scent of damp stone and salt as Aedric, Seris, and Tessa moved swiftly through the narrow alleys of Velmire. The city was alive despite the hour—lanterns flickered in the distance, laughter spilled from taverns, and the occasional murmur of guards on patrol echoed through the streets.
But Aedric knew they weren't safe. Not anymore.
The Raven had put a bounty on his head. That meant every mercenary, cutthroat, and desperate fool in Velmire would be after him by sunrise.
They ducked into the shadows of a secluded courtyard, hidden beneath the towering walls of abandoned buildings. Seris checked behind them before exhaling. "We can't go back to the safe house. They'll be watching it."
Tessa nodded, pulling her hood lower. "And we can't stay in the open either. Word spreads fast in this city. By morning, every informant in Velmire will be sniffing around for us."
Aedric leaned against the wall, his mind racing. The Raven had played their move expertly—he wasn't just a threat to the Red Vipers anymore. He was a hunted man.
"We need a place to regroup," he said. "Somewhere off the grid."
Tessa frowned. "Not many places like that in Velmire."
Seris tilted her head. "There's one."
Aedric looked at her. "Where?"
Seris hesitated, then sighed. "The Black Hollow."
Tessa cursed under her breath. "You can't be serious."
Aedric frowned. "What's the Black Hollow?"
Seris crossed her arms. "It's an underground district—literally. A network of tunnels, abandoned cellars, and old smuggler dens beneath the city. It's lawless, unregulated. No guards, no merchants, just criminals, outcasts, and those who don't want to be found."
Aedric considered it. It was dangerous—but that also meant The Raven's eyes wouldn't be as strong there. "How do we get in?"
Seris smirked. "That's the easy part. The hard part is making sure we get out."
Tessa shook her head. "I hate this plan."
Aedric pushed off the wall. "Then let's make sure it works."
They moved quickly, avoiding the main streets and sticking to the shadows. The entrance to the Black Hollow wasn't marked on any map—few even knew it existed.
Seris led the way, guiding them through winding alleys until they reached a seemingly ordinary well in the middle of a forgotten square. The stone around it was cracked, the wood of the bucket long rotted.
Seris crouched, feeling along the edge before pressing against a loose brick. A faint click echoed, and a section of the well's stone wall shifted.
A narrow passage opened beneath it, leading downward into darkness.
Tessa sighed. "Every time, I tell myself I'm never coming back here."
Aedric didn't hesitate. He descended first, gripping the damp, rough stone as he climbed down. The air grew colder as he moved deeper, the distant sound of dripping water filling the silence.
At the bottom, a tunnel stretched forward, its walls lined with rusted lanterns and faded markings from long-forgotten smugglers.
Seris dropped down beside him, followed by Tessa.
"Welcome to the Black Hollow," Seris muttered.
They moved cautiously through the tunnels, the dim light barely illuminating the path. The deeper they went, the more the walls widened, until they entered a cavernous underground chamber.
Dozens of makeshift stalls, fire pits, and hidden alcoves lined the space. People moved in hushed tones—figures wrapped in cloaks, traders with stolen goods, and mercenaries exchanging bloodstained coin.
This was a city beneath the city.
Aedric kept his hood low as they passed through, his eyes scanning the crowd. They needed a place to rest, to plan their next move.
Seris led them to a secluded alcove where a lone man sat, sharpening a dagger. His dark eyes flicked up at their approach.
"Seris," he drawled. "Didn't expect to see you down here again."
Seris smirked. "Didn't expect to come back."
The man studied Aedric and Tessa before nodding. "Need a place to lay low?"
Aedric met his gaze. "Something like that."
The man shrugged. "It'll cost you."
Aedric tossed a pouch of coins onto the table. "That enough?"
The man weighed it before nodding. "You've got until dawn. After that, you're on your own."
Aedric exhaled. It wasn't much, but it would do.
For now.