A week passed. Kael hit three more of Julian's operations.
A gambling den. A smuggling ring. A protection racket.
Each time, bodies piled up. Each time, the sword drank its fill.
Kael was getting stronger. Faster. More efficient.
And the memories were starting to blur.
He couldn't remember what his mother looked like. That bothered him more than he wanted to admit.
"It's accelerating," Lyra observed one evening. They were alone in the safe house. Ethan was asleep upstairs.
"What is?"
"The memory loss. You're using the sword more. Killing more. It's taking its toll."
"I'm fine."
"You asked me three times today what street we were on. You used to know the city perfectly."
Kael said nothing. She was right.
"Let me help," Lyra said. "Write things down. Important memories. Names. Places. I'll keep them safe for you."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because someone needs to. And because..." She hesitated. "Because you're important to me."
Kael looked at her. Really looked at her. Sharp features. Dark eyes. Clever and dangerous.
Beautiful.
When had he started thinking that?
"You're staring," Lyra said.
"Sorry."
"Don't be sorry. Just..." She moved closer. "Just tell me what you're thinking."
"I'm thinking you could do better than a cursed boy with a demon sword."
"Could I? Because from where I'm standing, you're the only one who's ever stood up to Julian. The only one brave enough—or crazy enough—to fight back."
"Crazy, probably."
"Definitely crazy." She was close now. "But I like crazy. Sane people bore me."
"Is that why you help me? Because I'm interesting?"
"I help you because we want the same thing. Because my brother is safe because of you. Because..." She reached up and touched his face. "Because when I look at you, I see someone worth saving."
"I don't need saving."
"Everyone needs saving. Even you." Her thumb traced his cheek. "You're allowed to be more than a weapon, Kael. More than just revenge."
"The sword doesn't leave much room for anything else."
"Then make room. Fight for it. Don't let the sword take everything." She pulled back slightly. "Write down your memories. Start tonight. Every important thing you remember. Write it."
"I'm not good with words."
"I don't care if it's poetry. Just facts. Names. Faces. Moments. Things you don't want to lose."
Kael nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll try."
"Good." Lyra went to a desk. Pulled out a blank journal. "Use this. And Kael?"
"Yeah?"
"Write about now, too. Not just the past. The present matters."
She left him alone with the journal.
Kael stared at the empty pages. Where did he start?
His father. That was important.
He began to write.
*Father's name: Aldric Voss. Tall. Gray eyes. Strong but kind. He taught me to ride. Taught me to fish. Died three months ago. Julian said suicide but I'm not sure.*
What else?
*Mother: Can't remember her face anymore. That scares me. She died when I was six. Father said she loved flowers. White roses.*
The words came slowly. Kael wasn't used to writing. But once he started, he couldn't stop.
*Marcus Stone: Captain of the Guard. Taught me to fight. I killed him. He was trying to protect me but I didn't know. Feel guilty about that.*
*Julian Voss: Cousin. Took everything. Forced me to kneel. Wearing father's crest. I will kill him.*
*Soulrender: The cursed blade. It talks. Drinks souls. Makes me stronger but takes memories. Don't know if it's worth it. Too late to stop now.*
*Lyra Thorne: Information dealer. Saved her brother. She's smart. Dangerous. Beautiful. Says I'm worth saving. Not sure I believe her but I want to.*
He kept writing until his hand cramped. Pages of memories. Some clear. Some fading.
When he finished, Lyra was standing in the doorway.
"Done?" she asked.
"For now."
"Let me see."
Kael hesitated. Then handed her the journal.
Lyra read in silence. Her expression didn't change. When she finished, she closed the book.
"This is good," she said quietly. "This is you. Not the sword. Not the killer. Just... you."
"Is that enough?"
"It's everything." She set the journal on the table. "Keep writing. Every day if you can. Even just a sentence. Something to hold onto."
"What about you? What do you hold onto?"
"Ethan. My brother. He's my anchor. The reason I keep going." She paused. "And now... now I have you, too."
"You don't have me."
"Don't I?" She stepped closer again. "Kael, we're in this together. You saved my brother. You trust me with your secrets. You write your memories in a journal because I asked you to. If that's not having each other, what is?"
Kael didn't have an answer.
Lyra reached out and took his hand. "I'm not asking for promises. I'm not asking for forever. I'm just asking you to let me care about you. Can you do that?"
Her hand was warm. Solid. Real.
"I can try," Kael said.
"That's all I'm asking."
They stood there for a moment. Just holding hands. No words.
Outside, the city was dark. Dangerous. Full of enemies.
But in this room, with this woman, Kael felt something the sword couldn't take away.
Connection.
Maybe that was worth fighting for, too.
"Get some sleep," Lyra said finally. "Tomorrow we hit the Silver Fangs. Big target. You'll need your strength."
"You're coming with me?"
"Someone needs to watch your back. Besides, I'm not letting you have all the fun."
Kael smiled. "You have a strange definition of fun."
"I have a strange definition of a lot of things." She didn't let go of his hand this time. "Kael, I need to tell you something."
"What?"
She looked down at their joined hands, then back up at him. "When I first met you, you were just a job. A way to get information, to save Ethan. But now..." She trailed off.
"Now?"
"Now I care about you. More than I should. More than is smart." Her voice was soft. "And I know you're cursed, and I know the sword is eating your memories, and I know this probably ends badly. But I don't care. I want—"
Kael kissed her.
He didn't plan it. Didn't think about it. He just leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
Lyra made a small sound of surprise, then her free hand came up to his face, pulling him closer. The kiss was soft at first, tentative, like they were both testing something fragile.
Then it deepened.
Kael's hand tangled in her hair. Lyra's fingers traced his jaw. For a moment, there was no sword, no revenge, no Julian. Just this. Just them.
They broke apart slowly, both breathing hard.
"That was..." Lyra started.
"Yeah," Kael agreed.
"I was going to say unexpected."
"Was it?"
She laughed, the sound breathless. "Maybe not. But still." She touched her lips, looking dazed. "We shouldn't do this. It's complicated."
"Everything is complicated," Kael said, echoing her earlier words.
"True." She looked at him for a long moment, her expression soft. "One more."
"What?"
"Kiss me one more time. So I know it was real."
Kael obliged. This time, there was no hesitation. Lyra melted into him, her arms wrapping around his neck, and Kael pulled her close, savoring the warmth, the realness of her.
When they finally broke apart, Lyra was smiling.
"Okay," she said. "That was definitely real."
"Should we talk about this?"
"Tomorrow. Right now, I just want to..." She rested her forehead against his. "Just let me have this moment. Before tomorrow comes and everything gets complicated again."
They stood like that for a while, foreheads touching, breathing the same air.
Finally, Lyra stepped back. "Goodnight, Kael."
"Night, Lyra."
She paused at the door, looking back at him. "For what it's worth? I don't regret it."
"Neither do I," Kael said.
After she left, Kael touched his lips, still feeling the ghost of her kiss. He looked at the journal under his pillow, then picked it up and added one more line.
*Today, I kissed Lyra. I don't want to forget this.*
He set the journal down and lay back, a small smile on his face.
Tomorrow they'd fight. Tomorrow more people would die.
But tonight, he'd remember this. The kiss. The moment when he felt human again.
And maybe that was worth everything.
* * *
END OF CHAPTER 13