The flames had died down, leaving only the bitter stench of charred steel and salt. The pier was cordoned off by Darius's men, their weapons trained outward, their eyes cautious—because no one had missed who the cloaked woman was.
Aresha Lilith Silas.The Silver Devil of Veyrantis.Patriarch of the Silas Family.Master of Nine Cloud Abyssal.
And yet, the image seared into Darius's mind wasn't of her cutting men down with inhuman precision. It was of her holding his children—Saleena clinging to her neck as if she had known her forever, Draven standing at her side as though he belonged there.
He had never allowed anyone close to them. No woman had ever been trusted with a touch, not even their caretakers. And yet, in mere moments, this woman had slipped past walls he had spent decades building.
His fingers flexed unconsciously. Even thinking of the way Saleena had called her "Mama" made his chest tighten with something he refused to name.
"Sir."
Lucien, his most trusted aide, stepped forward. Tall, broad, silent as always—Darius trusted him as much as he trusted his own shadow.
"The children are safe. The IA attack was contained. But…" Lucien's eyes flicked toward the smoldering ruins. "…she was here."
Darius didn't need clarification. "Find everything you can on her."
Lucien hesitated, which was rare. "She is Aresha Silas. You already know her reputation."
Darius's eyes narrowed, storm-dark. "I don't want her reputation. I want the truth."
Lucien inclined his head. "Yes, sir."
Meanwhile—
Far across the city, Aresha shed her cloak in silence, silver hair tumbling down her back. Her gloves trembled slightly as she peeled them off, revealing the faint glow of the dragon-and-phoenix seal etched into her skin.
It pulsed faintly, as though mocking her again.
Her reflection in the mirror was one she had long grown numb to: silver hair, a beauty sharp enough to draw blood. But tonight, for the first time in years, the mask had cracked.
Not because of the IA. Not because of Darius Vale's storm-dark eyes or the way his voice carried authority that almost rivaled her own.
But because of a little girl's trembling whisper.
Mama.
The word gnawed at her, dragging her into memories she had buried under years of blood and control. Memories of waiting for Vivian Silas to acknowledge her, of yearning for a mother's warmth that never came.
She had killed that weakness long ago. Or so she thought.
Yet Saleena's voice…Draven's calm eyes…their hair, their aura—it stirred questions she couldn't afford to ask.
She poured herself a glass of dark wine and swallowed it whole, willing the heat to burn away the lingering ache in her chest.
Her lips curved into a bitter smile. "Children are a weakness I cannot afford."
And yet…
When she closed her eyes, she could still feel the weight of Saleena's arms around her neck.
Back at his estate, Darius tucked both children into bed himself. Saleena was already drifting into sleep, murmuring "Mama" against her pillow. Draven, however, lay awake, his silver eyes reflecting the moonlight.
"Papa," he said softly. "She was…like us."
Darius froze at the words. Like us.
The boy wasn't wrong. The resemblance had been undeniable. Too sharp to dismiss as coincidence.
His hand curled into a fist.If she truly was tied to them…if she truly was the reason these children had appeared in his life four years ago with nothing but a sealed DNA report…
Then he would uncover it.No matter what mask she wore, no matter what kingdom of shadows she ruled—he would drag the truth from her.
Even if it meant colliding with the most dangerous woman in the world.