The hallway of the Black Fort was cold and dim, lined with cracked concrete and reinforced steel doors. Every step echoed softly, a dangerous sound in a fortress full of traitors. Aris stuck close to Kael, knife ready, eyes darting to every shadow.
Kael moved like he owned the place—because he once had. He didn't hesitate at turns, didn't pause to check maps. He just knew.
"The armory is this way," he whispered, leading her toward a heavy, metal door at the end of the hall.
Aris's heartbeat picked up.
Armory.
Weapons.
Loot.
All her favorite words.
When they reached the door, Kael tested the handle. Locked.
Of course it was locked.
"Stand back," he said.
Aris obliged, watching with quiet amusement as the former warlord lined up his shoulder, then slammed into the door. The metal shuddered. The lock groaned.
One hit.
Two hits.
Three—
The lock broke with a sharp crack.
Aris blinked.
"Show-off," she muttered.
Kael shot her a look. "You wanted in. I got us in."
"Fair," Aris conceded.
He pushed the door open, and the dim light spilled inside.
Shelves upon shelves of guns, knives, armor, and crates of ammunition stretched out before them. The air smelled of oil and metal. Aris's eyes practically sparkled.
This wasn't just loot.
This was a fortune.
"Don't touch anything yet," Kael warned, stepping inside. "We take what we can use first. Then you can loot the rest."
"Useful loot first, pretty loot later," Aris sighed. "Fine. But I'm claiming the shiniest knife. And that pistol over there. And that—"
"Focus," Kael said, already grabbing a tactical vest and a sidearm.
Aris rolled her eyes, but she did as she was told. She strapped on a lightweight belt, took a spare pistol, slipped extra knives into her boots and waistband, and stuffed a handful of ammunition into her pockets.
By the time she was done, she felt like a walking weapon.
It was amazing.
"Ready," she said.
Kael nodded, already heading for the door. "Vorin is on the top floor. He'll have guards. We can't fight all of them. We move quiet. We move fast."
"Quiet, fast, don't die, loot later," Aris summarized. "Got it. Can we add 'steal all his fancy stuff' to the list?"
"Add it," Kael said, the ghost of a smile in his voice.
They slipped back into the hallway, moving upward now, climbing a concrete staircase that wound toward the top of the fort. Every step felt louder than the last. Every shadow felt like a threat.
Halfway up, Kael suddenly held up a hand.
Footsteps.
Aris froze, pressing herself against the wall. Kael moved in front of her, body blocking hers from view.
The footsteps grew closer.
A guard turned the corner.
He saw them.
His eyes went wide. He opened his mouth to shout—
Kael moved.
One quick, brutal motion.
The guard didn't make a sound.
He crumpled to the floor.
Aris stared.
"...Remind me not to make you angry," she said.
"Already on the list," Kael replied calmly.
He dragged the guard into a small alcove, hiding the body.
"Come on," he said. "We're almost there."
Aris followed, her mind racing.
Top floor.
Traitor.
Throne.
Loot.
This was either going to be the best day of her life…
Or the last.
She decided to hope for the best loot.